Funny Footwear History Facts
The significance of footwear varies, depending on time and place. In the ancient Middle East, shoes were symbols of authority. To place one’s foot on a defeated enemy’s neck or head demonstrated dominance. Likewise, to kiss the shoe or foot of a ruler was a ritualized display of submission to his authority. That belief in the shoe or foot as symbolic of authority eventually made it to Europe. In medieval France, for example, kings required vassals to kiss their feet as a demonstration of allegiance. In the Viking era, tired of raids by Norsemen, France’s King Charles III figured that it takes a thief to catch a thief. So he granted Normandy to Rollo the Viking, in exchange for the latter’s agreement to become Christian, become the king’s vassal, and fight off other Vikings.
To finalize the agreement, attendant bishops urged Rollo to kiss the king’s foot as a display of fealty. Rollo refused to kiss another man’s foot. Instead, he ordered one of his warriors to kiss the king’s foot on his behalf. Rather than kneel down to do so, however, the Viking remained standing, and lifted the royal foot to his mouth, causing Charles to topple over. In Islamic culture, footwear is left at mosque entrances because shoes are deemed unclean. So they are removed in the presence of God to show respect and submission. Shoe soles are seen as particularly repugnant in the Middle East. There, it is offensive to show others one’s shoe sole, and to throw footwear at or hit somebody with it is a major insult.