5 Times in History When Coffee Was Banned

1. Mecca, 1511

In 1511, the Governor of Mecca, Khair Beg, banned coffee because he thought it stimulated radical thinking and could unite his opposition .

He viewed coffee as a dangerous intoxicant, comparable to wine, which is prohibited in Islam.

The governor’s forces confiscated and burned coffee stocks in the streets. However, this ban was short-lived, as advisors to the Sultan of Egypt overturned the rule.

2. Ottoman Empire, 1633

Sultan Murad IV of the Ottoman Empire implemented a strict ban on coffee in 1633.

The punishment for a first offense was a beating, while a second infraction resulted in the offender being sewn into a leather bag and thrown into the Bosporus Strait.

This harsh prohibition was primarily motivated by political reasons, as coffee houses were seen as hotbeds for plotting and sedition.

3. Sweden, 1746

In 1746, King Frederick I of Sweden imposed a ban on coffee, along with heavy import taxes on tea .

The authorities went as far as confiscating coffee pots and cups from those who did not comply.

This prohibition led to a thriving black market for coffee. The ban was further strengthened in 1766 under King Adolf Frederick but ultimately was overturned.

4. Prussia, 1777

Frederick the Great of Prussia issued a “Coffee and Beer Manifesto” in 1777, effectively banning coffee for the lower classes.

He argued that beer was superior to coffee and hoped to boost beer consumption in the country.

Frederick established a state coffee roasting monopoly and hired disabled soldiers as “sniffers” to catch anyone roasting coffee without a permit.

5. Ethiopia, pre-18th century

The Ethiopian Orthodox Church banned coffee sometime before the 18th century.

However, attitudes towards coffee softened in the latter half of the 19th century, largely due to Emperor Menilek, who was a coffee drinker himself, and Abuna Matewos, who helped dispel the belief among the clergy that coffee was a Muslim drink.

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