Sex on the wedding night: ancient customs and modern traditions in different countries of the world. The right of the first wedding night in Rus' The first wedding night in the USSR
A very colorful celebration, full of Islamic customs. And even though today newlyweds do not follow all the traditions, some of them are still strictly observed. This applies, first of all, to first marital intimacy.
First wedding night in Islam: customs
The wedding night takes place according to the rules of Sharia (norms for Muslims, enshrined in the Koran). Fortunately, the demonstration of a sheet after the intimacy of the newlyweds, to reveal the virginity of the bride, is nothing more than remnants of long-standing Islamic traditions and practically does not occur in our time. However, a number of customs before the first wedding night of newlyweds are mandatory.
Muslims' first wedding night: interesting facts
In addition to Islamic customs, the celebration of the first wedding night among Muslims has a number of additions that make the responsibilities of the spouses more flexible. This makes life easier for spouses in some current situations, namely:
The first wedding night is the sacrament of two hearts. Despite some strict and unusual Muslim wedding traditions, Sharia maintains trusting and tender relationships between spouses. What interesting traditions support other nations? You can get acquainted with Indian wedding traditions on our website www.site.
The first wedding night in Rus' was an important event, preparation for which was carried out no less carefully than for the celebration itself. For the first time, the newlyweds could feel like full-fledged lovers, and both the bride and groom were excitedly awaiting this event. The future relationship, trust and attraction of the young people to each other depended on the first night together. On the portal about weddings, the site, you will learn about how the wedding night took place in Rus' and whether there are echoes of the past in the night of love among modern newlyweds.
The first wedding night in Rus' had its own characteristics, which may seem very strange and unusual to modern newlyweds. However, in those days, young people unquestioningly followed traditions, believing that this would protect their marriage.
Features of the newlyweds' first night of love:
Modern Russian wedding night
The customs and traditions of the first wedding night in Rus' have long been a thing of the past, but the night of love itself is still relevant among newlyweds. The portal for young people Svadebka.ws believes that the bride and groom should pay serious attention to preparing for this intimate ceremony, and also find out what a honeymoon is, so that only pleasant memories from their first nights together remain in their memory.
The first wedding night of Russian newlyweds - what to pay attention to?
The modern ritual of the first wedding night has nothing in common with the traditions in Rus', however, in some families, the virginity of the bride is still considered a very important component of a successful marriage. However, if in ancient times a bride who lost her virginity before the wedding could disgrace the entire family, today intimate relationships before marriage are considered completely natural. If you want to be traditional, you can follow all the old rules of marriage, but it is much more important to maintain sincere and strong feelings for each other.
The first wedding night of Russian autocrats was subject to a set of rules. Absolutely everything was regulated: from the clothes that the newlyweds wore to perform the sacrament, to the placement of amulets against the evil eye and icons to bless the union of husband and wife.
Some of the autocrats unconditionally followed the prescribed traditions, while others, like Peter the Great, considered them a relic of the past and openly made fun of them.
Faktrum talks about the wedding customs of Russian tsars and emperors.
Claudius Vasilyevich Lebedev “Boyar wedding”, 1883
To begin with, it should be noted that the traditions according to which the first wedding night of Russian rulers was supposed to take place were constantly changing. Culture developed, old beliefs disappeared, new ones appeared, and in the end, each new king did everything in his own way. But, nevertheless, there were details that remained unchanged.
In the pre-Petrine era, the relationship between newlyweds was regulated by a special document called the “Wedding Order”. According to him, for example, it was customary to arrange the first wedding night in a cold and damp room - so that the young would be more willing to rush into each other's arms. Horses and mares were tied outside the windows so that their neighing would provoke the king and queen and arouse a love desire.
The arrangement of the bed for newlyweds was described in great detail. For example, rye sheaves in the amount of 27 pieces were placed at the base. They were supposed to symbolize wealth in the house and served as a talisman that would provide the queen with an easy birth.
A thick carpet was laid on top, on which up to ten feather beds were laid. On top of them are silk sheets, pillows and warm fur blankets made of sable or marten.
To protect against evil forces and the evil eye, an arrow was pierced into the floor at each corner of the wedding bed, and icons were hung on the walls. A tub of wheat or rye grain was also placed by the bed.
Mikhail Zichy “Wedding of Grand Duke Alexander Alexandrovich and Grand Duchess Maria Feodorovna” Fortunately for the Russian tsars, “Wedding Ceremony” did not delve into the most secret things, limiting itself to the phrase: “In bed, the bride and groom do whatever they want.” But the preparation was detailed. To begin with, the groom got rid of his festive attire; with the help of matchmakers and bridesmaids, the bride did the same. Then the wife, wearing a special outfit for the first wedding night, consisting of a padded jacket and a high fur hat, went to the king, who was already waiting for her on the wedding bed.
After some time, the tsar called the bed guard on duty at the door to call the “near lady,” whose duties included inspecting the sheets, confirming the tsar’s masculine strength and the innocence of his now officially wife.
Then, after the ritual ablution, the newlyweds remained in the bedchamber and waited for fish or chicken pie to be brought to them, because during the wedding traditions forbade them to touch any food.
Hundreds of years later, after Peter I became king, these traditions began to be eradicated. According to the emperor, the “Wedding Ceremony,” along with other customs, was a barbaric relic of the past that should be gotten rid of. And the tsar himself helped this, sometimes throwing funny weddings at which he ridiculed the weddings of the past. There is a known fact when Peter forced a couple to retire in winter in an unheated hut, ridiculing the tradition of arranging a marriage bed in a cold hay barn.
G.K. Groot "Peter III with Catherine II and son" Since then, the newlyweds have not been touched or their every move outlined, simply left alone with each other at night and hoping that they will figure everything out on their own. However, old traditions were quickly replaced by new ones. For example, clothes for the first night began to be inherited - heavy, brocade, embroidered with silver.
It also became a tradition to instruct young emperors in advance in order to avoid any incidents. This was resolved differently each time. For example, Catherine the Second simply ordered one of the court ladies to “train” her grandson, the future Emperor Alexander I. The far-sighted Empress was afraid of a repeat of her wedding night with Peter III, when the Tsar never touched the bride.
Relatives and doctors told other kings about the intricacies of intersexual relations. So, for example, Alexander II was instructed by physician Velyaminov, who left detailed memories about this in his diary, and palace doctor Nikolai Zdekauer spoke with Alexander III on sensitive topics.
The first wedding night in Rus' was arranged in a special way and had many differences from similar traditions of other nations. Among the peoples of Africa, Europe and India, the right of the first night implied intimate contact between the bride and a stranger. Often it was the elder of the tribe, a noble gentleman, or even just the first person they met.
In Rus', the right to deflower a girl traditionally belonged to her future husband. According to church canons, a married marriage is sacred and any attempt on someone else’s marriage bed is a great sin. Later, feudal lords often neglected this law and used the right of the first wedding night, but the church did not welcome this.
Time spending
The wedding ceremony in Rus' was a complex sacrament that combined Christian and pagan traditions. The timing of the wedding was always carefully chosen. In many peoples of the world, the first intercourse of newlyweds could occur on the third or fourth day, or even later (some Muslim countries, India, etc.). 
For Russians, the first wedding night took place during the wedding celebration, so it was very important to schedule the wedding on the date permitted by the church. According to Orthodox laws, it is forbidden to have sexual relations during Lent and during church holidays, therefore, weddings were not scheduled for this time.
Ritual of preparation for the wedding night 
The Russian people have their wedding night for a long time called the basement. This is due to the fact that the newlyweds’ bed was always arranged in a cool place: in the basement of the hut (pictured), closet, barn or bathhouse.
This always happened on the territory of the groom, since the girl after the wedding went to live with him. A high bed on a strong wooden base was prepared for the newlyweds. It was covered with bedding from the girl's dowry. The preparation of the bed for the bride and groom was carried out by female matchmakers. The groom's mother or sister could also prepare the bed.
Many ritual objects were placed on the bed, which were supposed to protect the newlyweds from damage and provide them with a comfortable existence in the future. Such amulets included small sheaves of rye, bags of flour, mattresses, and feather beds. The bed was covered on top with a snow-white embroidered blanket. Several logs, a frying pan, a poker, and a juniper branch were placed under the bed. These items were supposed to protect the couple from all evil spirits. The logs symbolized future offspring, so more of them had to be placed.
Seeing off the newlyweds
The newlyweds were escorted to the “bedchamber” prepared in this way by a whole crowd of guests: boyfriends, matchmakers, relatives and, in general, anyone who wanted to take part in the noisy and fun action. The farewell was accompanied by songs, obscene jokes and advice. The friend hit the box with a whip, driving out evil spirits. Then he had to pay a ransom to the bedwomen.
Alone
After all these rituals, the newlyweds were finally left alone. The door was locked, and a cage guard was left near it. He also had to protect the newlyweds from evil spells and various evil spirits. But guests often stayed at the door and simply spied on the young people.
Left alone, the bride and groom first treated themselves to bread and chicken. This food was supposed to give the couple fertility. After eating, the girl was obliged to take off the guy’s boots. Thus, she demonstrated humility before her future husband and showed her readiness to obey him in everything. Also, the girl had to ask her husband for permission to lie with him. Then sexual intercourse had to take place. A friend came to inquire about this several times. As soon as the girl lost her virginity, the marriage was considered physically confirmed, which was loudly announced to all guests. The newlyweds could be taken out to the feast again and delighted with songs of the most obscene content, or the guests themselves came to the basement of the newlyweds and stayed there with them until dawn.
Innocence as the main attribute
The most important moment in this whole ritual was the demonstration of the bride's shirt with blood stains. If the bride retained her virginity before the wedding, she was considered honest. Otherwise, she brought shame not only on herself, but also on her parents. A collar was hung around the neck of the matchmaker and the parents of the dishonest newlywed. They brought my father a glass of wine with a holey bottom. The girl could even be returned to her father's house.
The loss of virginity on the first wedding night was symbolically celebrated by hanging towels embroidered with red threads and beating pots. After this, the girl became “young”, and the guy became “young”. After the wedding night, the young woman was dressed in clothes married woman and put on her appropriate headdress. The entire ritual had to be strictly observed, otherwise the new family would be threatened with infertility and poverty.
The first wedding night in Rus' was arranged in a special way and had many differences from similar traditions of other nations. Among the peoples of Africa, Europe and India, the right of the first night implied intimate contact between the bride and a stranger. Often it was the elder of the tribe, a noble gentleman, or even just the first person they met.
In Rus', the right to deflower a girl traditionally belonged to her future husband.
According to church canons, a married marriage is sacred and any attempt on someone else’s marriage bed is a great sin. Later, feudal lords often neglected this law and used the right of the first wedding night, but the church did not welcome this.
Time spending
The wedding ceremony in Rus' was a very complex sacrament that combined Christian and pagan traditions. The timing of the wedding was always chosen very carefully. In many peoples of the world, the first intercourse of newlyweds could occur on the third or fourth day, or even later (some Muslim countries, India, etc.).
For Russians, the first wedding night took place during the wedding celebration, so it was very important to schedule the wedding on the date permitted by the church. According to Orthodox laws, it is impossible to have sexual relations during Lent and on church holidays, therefore weddings were not scheduled for this time. The date of the celebration was carefully selected in accordance with the church calendar.
Ritual of preparation for the wedding night
For a long time, the Russian people called their wedding night a basement. This is due to the fact that the newlyweds’ bed was always arranged in a cool place: in the basement of a hut, closet, barn or bathhouse. This always happened on the territory of the groom, since the girl after the wedding went to live with him.
A high bed on a strong wooden base was prepared for the newlyweds. It was covered with bedding that was taken from the girl's dowry. The preparation of the bed for the bride and groom was carried out by female matchmakers. The groom's mother or sister could also prepare the bed.
Many ritual objects were placed on the bed, which were supposed to protect the newlyweds from damage and provide them with a comfortable existence in the future. Such amulets included small sheaves of rye, bags of flour, mattresses, and feather beds. The bed was covered on top with a snow-white embroidered blanket.
Several logs, a frying pan, a poker, and a juniper branch were placed under the bed. These items were supposed to protect the couple from all evil spirits. The logs symbolized future offspring, so more of them had to be placed.
Seeing off the newlyweds
The newlyweds were escorted to the “bedchamber” prepared in this way by a whole crowd of guests: boyfriends, matchmakers, relatives and, in general, anyone who wanted to take part in the noisy and fun action. The farewell was accompanied by songs, obscene jokes and advice. The friend hit the box with a whip, driving out evil spirits. Then he had to pay a ransom to the bedwomen.
Alone
After all these rituals, the newlyweds were finally left alone. The door was locked, and a cage guard was left near it. He also had to protect the newlyweds from evil spells and various evil spirits. But guests often stayed at the door and simply spied on the young people.
Left alone, the bride and groom first treated themselves to bread and chicken. This food was supposed to give the couple fertility. After eating, the girl was obliged to take off the guy’s boots. Thus, she demonstrated humility before her future husband and showed her readiness to obey him in everything. Also a girl I had to ask my husband for permission to lie with him.
Then sexual intercourse must take place. A friend came to inquire about this several times. As soon as the girl lost her virginity, the marriage was considered physically confirmed, which was loudly announced to all guests. The newlyweds could be taken out to the feast again and delighted with songs of the most obscene content, or the guests themselves came to the basement of the newlyweds and stayed there with them until dawn.
