Join More Than 6,500 Curious Brainiacs!

Get the twice-a-week newsletter that delivers mind-bending facts from across the world directly to your inbox in an easily digestible format.

    We won't send you spam. Unsubscribe at any time.
    Customize Consent Preferences

    We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions. You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below.

    The cookies that are categorized as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site. ... 

    Always Active

    Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site, such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data.

    No cookies to display.

    Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collecting feedback, and other third-party features.

    No cookies to display.

    Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.

    No cookies to display.

    Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.

    No cookies to display.

    Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns.

    No cookies to display.

    Death penalty for drinking coffee

    Date:

    Share post:

    This ruler gave the death penalty to coffee drinkers

    Coffee, is an aromatic, eye-opening beverage that millions of people worldwide canโ€™t seem to start their day without. Imagine being ruled by a leader who believed that coffee was a threat to public morality. So much so, that he threatened to behead anyone caught drinking it publicly. Well, it happened in Yemen in the 16th century, under the reign of Sultan Murad IV. He banned public coffee consumption and declared that anyone caught drinking it would lose their head.

    City of Mocha โ€“ origin of Coffee

    Coffee origin

    Coffee has been an integral part of Yemeni culture for centuries. Its origins trace back to the port city of Mocha. Yemeni traders began exporting coffee to other parts of the world. The beverage eventually became popular in Europe in the 17th century. However, in the early 16th century, Sultan Murad IV believed that coffee was a threat to public morality and banned it.

    Ottoman Sultan Murad IV

    The Ban on Subversion

    The ban was not to target coffee itself, but rather the entire culture surrounding the consumption of coffee. The prevailing belief, shared by Murad IV and many others, was that coffee houses had the potential to undermine established societal standards. They also thought coffee consumption promoted risky ideas or language, and even directly instigate rebellious schemes. This was the reason for instating the death penalty for drinking coffee.

    The Backlash

    The ban on coffee caused uproar among the Yemeni people. They saw it as an attack on their culture and way of life. Coffee was a part of their everyday life, and, understandably, they were not going to give it up without a fight. The public continued to drink coffee in secret. They hid in underground coffee houses and taking precautions to avoid getting caught. They became experts at smuggling coffee into the country and hiding it from the authorities.

    The death penalty for drinking coffee in Yemen was short-lived, lasting only a few years. Sultan Muradโ€™s successor, recognized the economic potential of coffee and lifted the ban. Yemen once again became a hub for coffee production and trade.

    Drawing of Ottoman Coffee Houses

    Subversive Substance

    Yemen was not the only country to ban coffee. In the 17th century, several European countries, including England, Sweden, and Prussia, outlawed coffee. The reasons for the bans varied. Some authorities claiming that coffee was a dangerous and subversive substance that led to sedition, while others saw it as a luxury that was not in keeping with their countryโ€™s values.

    Yemeni Coffee

    The banning of coffee didnโ€™t deter the Yemeni people, who continued to cherish their beloved beverage. Today, Yemen remains an essential producer of coffee, with coffee production being one of its main sources of income. Coffee enthusiasts highly seek Yemeni coffee for its unique flavor profile and long history. As a result, premium Yemeni coffee beans rank among the most expensive coffees worldwide.

    coffee, coffee cup, cup

    Part of Daily Sustenance

    Coffee has become a significant part of daily life worldwide. It is an essential component of our daily routine, from being the perfect pick-me-up in the morning to a casual hangout with friends. It is a social lubricant that brings people together, and its effects on the economy are enormous. The coffee industry employs millions of people worldwide, and coffee is one of the most traded commodities in the world.

    Scientists credit coffee with several health benefits, including improving cognitive function, reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes, and lowering the risk of Alzheimerโ€™s disease. People worldwide enjoy coffee, consuming billions of cups every day.


    ๐Ÿ“ˆ๐Ÿ˜ฒAdditional Fun Facts


    Mocha

    Mocha is named after the port city of Mocha in Yemenโ€™s western coast. The original coffee plants were native to Ethiopia, it was in Yemen where the beans were turned into the coffee we know and love today

    $1,500

    Per pound for Black Ivory Coffee, the worldโ€™s most expensive. Arabica coffee beans are fed to elephants which pass it through the digestive system and collected from the feces. You read that right.

    Join More Than 6,500 Curious Brainiacs!

    Get the twice-a-week newsletter that delivers mind-bending facts from across the world directly to your inbox in an easily digestible format.

      We won't send you spam. Unsubscribe at any time.

      Join Now

      Get the twice-a-week newsletter that delivers mind-bending facts from across the world directly to your inbox in an easily digestible format.

      โ€‹

        We won't send you spam. Unsubscribe at any time.

        spot_img

        Related articles

        Salvator Mundi: The Most Expensive Painting Ever Sold

        In November 2017, the art world was stunned when an enigmatic painting of Christ called Salvator Mundi sold for a record-shattering $450 million at auction.

        How the Eiffel Tower Was Built: The Marvel of 1889

        In the winter of 1887, Parisian journalists gathered at a curious construction site on the Champ de Mars. There, amid wooden scaffolding and the rhythmic clang of hammers, they witnessed what one reporter would describe as men "reaping lightning bolts in the clouds."

        Alan Smithee: The Worst Director in Hollywood

        For over 30 years, one name appeared again and again as the director of some of the worst movies ever made - Alan Smithee. But Alan Smithee wasn't a real person. He was a pseudonym used by Hollywood directors who wanted to disavow their finished films.

        Emmanuel Nwude: The Man Behind the $242 Million Nigerian Airport Scam

        In the late 1990s, a brazen fraudster named Emmanuel Nwude pulled off one of history's most outrageous cons - selling a fictional airport to a gullible Brazilian bank director for a whopping $242 million.
        0