8 Mind-Blowing Facts About Beer
5. In 1380, A War Was Fought Over Beer
Sure, there are a few beer snobs out there who take the beverage a bit too seriously. That being said, even the most ardent craft beverage enthusiasts wouldn't be willing to go to war for their brew. However, the same can't be said for some of the inhabitants of a Polish city back in 1380.
The Vretslav Beer War took place in the Polish city the conflict was named after —Vretslav (now known as Wroclaw.) It began as a conflict between the city council and the church over the right to sell beer. The church wanted to sell the beverage, but the city council had a stranglehold on beer sales and the profits associated with them. In an effort to get a piece of the beer pie, the local bishop called a halt to religious services in the area.
The King at the time, Vaclav IV, was not pleased with the holy man's decision. As a result, Vaclav ordered that religious services be resumed. When the bishop refused, the king ordered his troops to sack every religious site in the city. For days, the king's troops went on a drunken rampage, looting every church building they encountered.
Despite the ensuing chaos, the stubborn bishop refused to reinstate services. Fortunately, the pope stepped in to settle the matter, before things got too out of hand. The pope's compromise allowed the church to sell beer to their dependants but still left the cities monopoly more or less intact.