What was the Erfurt Latrine Disaster?
Dozens of nobles from across the Holy Roman Empire met for crisis talks on a summer’s day in 1184, but the proceedings ended up in the toilet. It wasn’t because they failed to resolve the dispute: they literally ended up in the toilet
The words ‘latrine’ and ‘disaster’ should give a clue as to how between 60 and 100 members of the Holy Roman Empire aristocracy succumbed to a spectacularly foul demise.
Gathered in 1184 in an ancient church in Erfurt, the ageing floor beneath their feet suddenly gave way, sending them plunging into the building’s noxious cesspit below. Many drowned in liquid excrement, others were fatally wounded in the fall, while several nobles were asphyxiated by the evil-smelling odour.
Where did the Erfurt Latrine Disaster unfold?
In July 1184, King Henry VI of the Hohenstaufen dynasty, who was ruler of Erfurt and the future Holy Roman Emperor, convoked a ‘Hoftag’, or informal assembly. It is thought to have been within the Petersberg citadel at Erfurt (in modern-day Germany).
The gathering aimed to address a dispute between the Archbishop of Mainz, Conrad of Wittelsbach, and Ludwig III, Landgrave of Thuringia. The precise origins of the two men’s bitterness have been lost to history, but land disputes were common gripes. This was also a time of political tensions among the empire’s patchwork of bishoprics, princedoms and myriad city-states.
Determined to mediate and resolve the feud, Henry summoned dozens of aristocrats and high-ranking officials from across the empire to attend a meeting.
What happened at the meeting that led to the disaster?
The Hoftag commenced on the morning of 26 July, with many delegates arriving the day before, but it was not long before disaster struck. The ancient wooden floor of the church collapsed under the combined weight of the nobles, and they were sent plummeting to the floor below.
Here was the building’s foetid cesspit. Medieval latrines, primitive and often perilously constructed, were a far cry from the luxuries of modern sanitation, often amounting to nothing more than large pits where sewage was gathered. Erfurt was about to give a stark lesson in the dangers of such basic facilities.
Revolting and tragic in equal measure, an estimated 60 to 100 nobles perished: either crushed by the falling woodwork, drowned in the horrific contents of the latrine, or asphyxiated by the unholy fumes emitted by the rotting sewage.
Yet in spite of the huge death toll, all the key players in the dispute miraculously survived. King Henry and Archbishop Conrad escaped death by clinging to iron window railings.
What happened to the survivors of the Erfurt Latrine Disaster?
The odorous catastrophe did not hinder King Henry’s political ascent. In the years following the Erfurt Latrine Disaster, his influence continued to grow until he became the Holy Roman Emperor in 1191. He led the so-called German Crusade of 1197; held the king of England, Richard the Lionheart, to ransom; and expanded his realm to include Sicily.
Henry’s survival that day ensured that his reign dramatically reshaped politics in Europe. This might have taken a different turn had he perished in Erfurt’s cesspit.
Was the original dispute resolved?
Due to the shocking events that ensued, all thoughts of brokering a peace between the two feuding nobles were forgotten.
It appears the enmity between Ludwig III and Archbishop Conrad may have persisted, but there is no evidence either way.
Why is the Erfurt Latrine Disaster remembered?
By combining those words ‘latrine’ and disaster’, the catastrophe has held a macabre and darkly humorous hold over posterity.
Hygiene was never a priority in this period, but the Erfurt Latrine Disaster stands as one of medieval Europe’s most bizarre and stomach-turning incidents.
It underscored the precariousness of medieval architecture and sanitation, revealing that even the most powerful individuals were not immune to the hazards of the era.
For us today, it also serves as a notorious reminder that unforeseen events that seemingly have little bearing on the wider geopolitical landscape can have a dramatic impact on history.
Toilets through time
Member exclusive | What was it like to do your business in a Roman communal toilet? Why was the devil thought to lurk in medieval privies? And did constipation turn Henry VIII into a tyrant? In this four-part mini-series, David Musgrove heads down the u-bend in the company of leading historical experts to see what we can learn from the most universal of all experiences: going to the loo.Listen to all episodes now
Authors
Danny Bird is Content Producer for BBC History Magazine and was previously staff writer for BBC History Revealed. He joined the History team in 2022. Fascinated with the past since childhood, Danny completed his History BA at the University of Sheffield, developing a special interest in the Spanish Civil War and the Paris Commune. He subsequently gained his History MA from University College London, studying at its School of Slavonic and East European Studies (SSEES)
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