Coffee was also discovered in the Arabian Peninsula, a region where many individuals came from the west to study. As these scholars needed energy, they turned to the beverage of coffee (1400 CE).
Eventually, coffee would reach Europe around the 1500s. First introduced to European society as a medical drink that cured exhaustion and headaches, it quickly gained popularity. In fact, it was so delicious that it was even declared the “true Christian beverage” by Pope Clement VIII.
With the high demand, it was only inevitable that a coffeehouse would open. Pasqua Rosée, thought to be Greek or Armenian, was employed by the British trader Daniel Edwards at Levant Company, a corporation known to bring goods from the East to Europe. As Rosée frequently encountered coffee during his work, he quickly realized the potential of coffee and opened the first coffeehouse in London (1652). It sold more than 600 cups of coffee per day. Rosée’s idea gained traction, and soon, there were several coffeehouses all over Europe.
Over time, attending coffeehouses became considered fashionable, and they were also social hubs where the latest information could be found. However, as both the elite and lower members of society would attend, the two groups would often find themselves in spats. In fact, conflicts escalated so much that a campaign was initiated to stop coffeehouses from disturbing the peace. But the coffeehouses’ popularity rendered these attempts fruitless, especially in France and England.
One additional reason for these campaigns was how often men frequented coffeehouses. As these men would spend too much time socializing at coffeehouses, their wives grew frustrated, resenting coffeehouses as the cause. They even petitioned for coffeehouses to be shut down and spread rumors that ingesting coffee was detrimental to one’s health. In the end, no amount of nasty rumors could beat the coffeehouses’ popularity, and to this day, coffeehouses—also called cafes—remain quite popular.
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