“Coffee sparks revolutionary ideas.”

Throughout history, coffee has been banned, which is a little-known but fascinating fact. Here are more details about these historical bans:

The coffee ban in Saudi Arabia: “Coffee stimulates critical thinking and revolutionary ideas, and it encourages dissatisfaction with authorities.”

The first recorded coffee ban occurred in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, in 1511. The local governor, Khair Bey, was concerned about the effects coffee had on social and political activities. Coffeehouses (or ‘qahveh khaneh’), as gathering places, became hubs of conversation, debate, and intellectual exchanges among people. The governor believed that coffee stimulated critical thinking and revolutionary ideas, and that it encouraged dissatisfaction with the authorities. As a result, he ordered a ban on coffee, coffeehouses, and coffee trading in Mecca.

However, the ban didn’t last long. Religious scholars analyzed the situation and concluded that coffee posed no harm to health or society. Soon after, the ban was lifted, and coffee returned to the daily life of the people in Mecca.

The ban on coffeehouses in Constantinople: “Coffeehouses, where people gathered to drink coffee and smoke tobacco, incited political rebellion and the spread of anti-authoritarian ideas.”

In the Ottoman Empire, coffee was also the target of bans. Sultan Murad IV (who ruled from 1623 to 1640) is known for imposing strict laws against the consumption of coffee, tobacco, and alcohol. He believed that coffeehouses, where people gathered to drink coffee and smoke tobacco, incited political rebellion and the spread of anti-authoritarian ideas. The Sultan was so determined to enforce the ban that he personally patrolled the streets of Constantinople in disguise to catch violators. Those caught breaking the rules faced severe punishments, including corporal punishment and even death. The coffee ban in the Ottoman Empire was also short-lived. After Murad’s death, coffeehouses reopened, and coffee became an essential part of Ottoman culture again.

The coffeehouse ban in England: “Coffeehouses became hotspots for spreading slander, false information, and political dissatisfaction.”

In England, coffee, like beer and tea, became popular in the 17th century. Coffeehouses were gathering places for intellectuals, merchants, and political activists who discussed the news and events of the day. This didn’t sit well with King Charles II, who, in 1675, banned coffeehouses, considering them a threat to his authority. He believed that coffeehouses had become hotspots for spreading slander, false information, and political dissatisfaction with his regime. By a proclamation in 1675, coffeehouses were closed, and the consumption of coffee was banned. However, public pressure was so strong that the king soon reversed his decision. Coffeehouses reopened, and coffee continued to play an important role in English social life.

The coffee bans in Prussia and Sweden: “Coffee consumption should be restricted because it threatens the traditional consumption of beer.”

The Prussian king, Frederick the Great, was known for attempting to limit coffee consumption because he believed it threatened the traditional consumption of beer. He thought people should drink more beer, considering it the “national drink” that fostered community spirit. He issued a proclamation stating that beer was healthier and better for the German people. Although he didn’t impose a total ban, he took steps to reduce coffee’s popularity.

The coffee experiment on two prisoners sentenced to death in Sweden

The Swedish king Gustav III conducted one of the most bizarre experiments with coffee. He believed coffee was harmful to health and ordered a ban. To prove his point, he conducted an experiment on two prisoners sentenced to death. One prisoner drank three cups of coffee daily, while the other drank three cups of tea. Ironically, both prisoners outlived the doctors supervising them, and Gustav III himself was assassinated before the experiment concluded. The coffee ban did not last long.

Coffee bans throughout history show that coffee was more than just a beverage—it became a symbol of social interaction and intellectual debate. Coffee was often linked to political change and social unrest, which is why authorities on several occasions tried to control or completely ban its consumption. Yet, coffee always found its way back into daily life, winning the hearts of people worldwide.