If you're anything like the majority of Americans — 62%, to be exact — you drink coffee every day (via National Coffee Association). We can't think of a finer way to start the day than with a dark, rich, aromatic mug of this beverage, which comes in almost as many varieties as there are palates, ranging from strong cold brew to a creamy cappuccino to a simple shot of espresso.
And, while coffee trends come and go, one constant is the bean's appeal. Coffee began its global conquest around the 15th century, beginning with cultivation in the Arabian Peninsula, where the ceremony of roasting, grinding, and brewing small, strong cups of coffee is still a pervasive social tradition (via Culturally Ours). A century later, it had spread to Iran, Egypt, Syria, and Turkey.
And, despite the prevalence of Italian monikers like latte, macchiato, and the like, the dark brew remains integral to many Middle Eastern traditions, widely consumed in social settings and frequently served at official gatherings where business contracts, wedding arrangements, and even feuds are discussed. Coffee has been a popular beverage in the Arab world for over 600 years, but it has also been a dangerous pursuit at times.
What does coffee consumption look like in your life, aside from that morning sip to get your day started? When you think about it, it is mostly a social activity: How frequently do you meet a buddy at a coffee shop to dish, or linger over large cups long after brunchtime has ended? Coffee has always been a social drink, and according to Atlas Obscura, it was coffee's social nature that caused it to be banned at several points throughout Middle Eastern history. According to the National Coffee Association, coffeehouses became important social gathering places for Arabs from all walks of life beginning in the Middle Ages, making them the ideal place to chat, gossip, play chess, and listen to music. And, of course, to talk about politics.
The Ottoman sultan Murad IV banned coffee use across his empire in 1633, citing the ordinary people's proclivity to sip coffee and — god forbid! — plot revolt. Making the offence punishable by death, legend has it that the Sultan himself would prowl the streets of Istanbul turkey in disguise, unsheathing his 100-pound broadsword to decapitate any errant sippers he encountered, according to Atlas Obscura. Despite the ban and the
Those of us who congregate at coffee shops with our friends these days may be more likely to talk things such as the weather, job, and relationships rather than, say, revolution. However, the latter was a regular topic in the past: after all, both the French and American Revolutions were plotted in coffeehouses, according to NPR. As a result, the Ottoman sultan's worries — as well as those of other monarchs throughout history who have prohibited coffee, ranging from King of Prussia Frederick the Great to Archbishop of Cologne Maximilian Frederick - were unquestionably valid.
"Coffee has a propensity to loosen people's imaginations... and lips," NPR's Mark Pendergrast said of his book "Uncommon Grounds: The History of Coffee and How It Transformed Our World." Coffee was, indeed, a politically perilous drug in a pre-internet world, where coffeehouses had to become public platforms for dialogue and debate.
