Since 1895 elegance, practicality and comfort at Moneglia

HISTORY OF FOOTWEAR

Chapter 9°: footwear of the Europeans
(abt. 500 - 1900)

     With the fall of the Roman Empire (476 CE), Europe plunged into a period of obscurantism.
     It was repeatedly invaded by barbarians who moved into her weak or unguarded territories pilling and stealing land but by coming into contact with a superior civilization, gradually assimilated her elements.
      Also the technical knowledge of tannery and footwear manufacturing started making progress again, after a decline of the the Roman public structure using the knowledge of the invaders.
      This is evident from literary references and by the examination of finds especially discovered in tombs.

9.1 from 7th century to 10th century

THE LOMBARDS Were of Germanic extraction originally settled in Pannonia who, in 548, descended into Italy under the guide of king Alboin and occupied Lombardy, Emilia and Tuscany setting up duchies that elected a King resident in Pavia, capital of the kingdom.
      Under Agilulf (591 - 616) they converted to Christianity and King Rotary enacted an edict containing rules of customary law adapted to Latin law.
     Their reign finished with Desiderius (756 - 774) defeated by Charlemagne king of Franks.
     Paul Deacon, Lombard chronicler, informs us that they used footwear open nearly to the big toe fixed to the foot by crossed laces called "Hosis", over which, for riding, they slipped on gaiters called "Tubrugos".

THE FRANKS Were a Germanic people originally from middle and lower Rhine from where they passed into the territories of the Roman empire in Germany, Belgium and France.
     In France, under Clovis (466 - 511), first king of the Merovingian dynasty, the public structure formed and the people converted to Christianity but it was only under Pepin of Heristal (640 - 714) the founder of the Carolingian dynasty, that the Franks started the French nation.
     In some Merovingians tombs metal buckles were found that were used for fastening shoes and gaiters.
     Aeginard, Frank chronicler, claims that Charlemagne (742 - 814) wore, in ceremonies, shoes studded with gems.
     An example of Frank footwear was found in the tomb of Bernard, son of Pepin, king of Italy, who died in 818, when the grave was opened in 1618; they found a pair of calf high boots with a red leather upper trimmed with skin strips and a wooden sole and an opening from instep to toe fastened with laces (see picture n.° 42).
      Pictures on the Bible of Charles the second known as the bald (823 - 877) show shoes similar to slippers laced to the ankle and, in that period, "À la Poulaine" footwear also known or as "Pigaces" became fashionable (see pictures n.° 43 - 44) with a pointed toe that, at first was half a foot long, but, later, beca- me so long that it became difficult to walk.
     Shoes were wadded with moss, hairs, or wool and sometimes tipped bizzarely with fish or snake tails or scorpion stings.
     The "Poulaines" at first were worn only by noblemen as war shoes and, when the length of the points increased, in 14th century, laws were issued that fixed the sizes for noblemen, middle-class persons and common people even if they were worn above all, by the first, while the common people wore round toed shoes .
     It is said that this fashion was launched by Count Fulco of Anjou who had to hid his deformed foot, but, in fact, as we have seen in the preceding chapters existed since the times of the Sumerians and Egyptians and, was maybe the Crusaders that imported it into Europe.
     The fashion also caught on amongst the ecclesiastics so that St. Pier Damiani (1007 - 1072) condemned the use of the shoe.
     The French term "Poulaine" means (point of) Polish shoes and the use of this footwear reached as far as Poland so in England as since1367 they were also named "Crakows".

THE ANGLO-SAXONS The Anglians, Saxons and Iutians were Germanic tribes that, from their settlements in Schleswig and on the Frisian coasts, around the middle of 400 CE , invaded and colonized England founding kingdoms that were gradually deprived of Norman authority .
     The examination of archaeological finds demonstrates that these peoples did not make distinction between men or women's shoes, at the most the women's were trimmed with an embroidered strip from opening to point.
     The footwear were made by "Turnshoe technique" sewing together sole and upper on the back of skins or joining them by leather straps.
     They were usually ankle high with round toes and no heels fastened by cord or laces; nails were not used and, around the middle of 19th century some were also made with a triangular tongue and fastened with a buckle.
     There were also slippers, similar to Roman sandals, rawhide footwear and others made from a single piece of skin.
     The cited system of manufacture was imported to England by the Saxons towards the 5th century and, little by little supplanted that used by the Romans who also sewed uppers by string and fixed them to the sole by leather strips while the Saxons used rawhide leather straps.
     Many words in archaic English refer to the footwear of that age but it is not clear to which type.
     The word "Scoh" could mean the shoe in general or an ankle boot or a slipper. "Swiftlere" and "Staeplescoh" are rawhide slipper shaped shoes. "Hemming", "Rifeling" and "Socc" (This last one clearly originating from the Romans, see chapter n.° 6) indicate shoes made by a single piece of skin. "Crinc" and "Calc" are strip sandals.

THE NORMANS (THE VIKINGS) Were of Germanic origin living in the Scandinavian area that since the 8th century expanded greatly in Europe moving, above all by sea, as they were very skilful navigators.
     They settled in France, where in 911 Rollon founded the duchy of Normandy and converted to Christianity.
     In 1066 William the Conqueror occupied England while in southern Italy some younger sons of noble families took possession of vast Byzantine territories which were then united by Robert Guiscard who took Sicily from the Arabs and by Roger the second, King of Sicily from 1130.
     It can reasonably be asserted that they wore footwear similar to those of the Anglo-Saxons and, towards 1150, after the conquest of England, they adopted for a short period, round heels and sharp points while they began to use the joining method between upper and sole by the welt, probably imported to north Europe by the Crusaders.
   In the Bayeux tapestry that depicts the landing in England, the Normans wore closed shoes with spurs that, were fur-lined the winter.
     The English chronicler Orderic Vitalis (1075 - 1143) who, in his work "Historia ecclesiastica", left us a precious documentation about the Normans, mentions the "Pigaciae" and the "Pigatiae".

VENICE In the " Life of Orseolo, doge of Venice" it stated that the doge wore the "Zanghe" that was a kind of boot suitable for protecting feet and legs.

CLERICAL FOOTWEAR The catholic priests wore, in that period, closed sandals with leather uppers that protected their heels and toes.
They were fastened to the foot by leather straps (see picture n.° 45).

Calzature à la poulaine IX sec. Calzature ecclesiastiche IX - X sec.