This stable phrase - “a man of blue bloods” - is perceived today as an allegory that distinguishes people of aristocratic descent from ordinary people. But why, from the whole spectrum, is it blue that is chosen as the most noble? There is an opinion that the whole thing is in the thin light skin of aristocrats, through which bluish veins shine through.
According to another statement, people of noble origin never related to the lower classes and were extremely proud of this, protecting the purity of their blood. Although this is far from the only explanation for the amazing concept - blue blood. The expression was born in the early Middle Ages, and maybe even earlier.
What does the story say?
The medieval historian Aldinar (12th century) in his chronicles mentions the noble English knights who fought with the Saracens, fell to the ground wounded, but not a drop of blood poured from their wounds! In the same chronicles, the concept of "blue blood" is also mentioned. Later, in the 18th century, expression was quite popular in Spain. Noble hidalgo found confirmation of the purity of blood in only one thing: on the wrist was supposed to be thin, fair skin with translucent bluish veins. Otherwise, the person was suspected of mixing blood with Moorish or Arabic.
In a closer history, the concept was actively exploited to propagate racism, the superiority of some nations over others. It is enough to recall German fascism and its dominant idea of blue Aryan blood.
Is there blue blood in nature?
Yes, there are creatures of blue blood in nature. Mostly they live in the ocean - horseshoe crabs, squids, octopuses and other gill-footed mollusks. There is no substance in their blood that gives the liquid a reddish tint - iron. This is the key word in blood color, but more on that later.
People of blue blood. Who are they?
No matter how fantastic it sounds, such people on planet Earth live. According to various sources, their number ranges from one to seven thousand. The blueness of the fluid flowing through their veins does not affect their “usualness”: blood flows in their veins in the same way and carries oxygen. But her color is really bluish. There is an explanation for this. As mentioned above, iron gives the blood cells a red color. In “blue blood” people, the role of iron in the blood is played by another element - copper, which, reacting with that small amount of iron (which is still present), stains blood in a bluish-purple hue. It would seem no fiction. But the ordinary man certainly raises the question: where are they, these people? Who saw them? Or are they some mystical creatures? Or maybe even aliens? By the way, this is one of the versions.
What does science say?
Science says that in this phenomenon the great wisdom of nature is expressed. The blue color of blood or variations with the main pigmenting element - copper instead of iron - is nothing more than a safety net in case one species of living creatures disappears. By the way, medieval legends could indicate that copper in the blood contributes to the disinfection of wounds, their rapid healing due to the rapid coagulation of blood. Therefore, the rivers of blood did not pour among the knights.
In the meantime, all these are only hypotheses - humanity prefers allegorically to use this expression, endowing people of noble origin with all sorts of flattering epithets: the prince is blue blood, the aristocrat is white bone …
