The Herring Scandal at the Beginning of Lent: Provins, February 1582

A rare glimpse into the everyday life and economic dynamics of medieval Provins, France, emerges from the 'Herring Scandal' of 1582. This incident, documented by priest Claude Haton in his memoirs, reveals hidden aspects of herring trade, consumption patterns, and power relations during the Maritime Revolution. The study leverages judicial, fiscal, and narrative sources to reconstruct the herring's journey from harvest to consumer, challenging the typical silences in historical records about mundane details. Expert examinations and judgments by municipal authorities, including consultations with other towns and the Parliament of Paris, underscore the complexities of food regulation and power structures in medieval society.

Uvarov, P. Yu. (2025). THE HERRING SCANDAL AT THE BEGINNING OF LENT: PROVINS, FEBRUARY 1582. Ural Historical Journal, 89(4), 103–109. https://doi.org/10.30759/1728-9718-2025-4(89)-103-109