medieval europe, catholics actually banned bathing as it was a form of pleasure (until now i just thought it was a case of not being bothered to bath). also, the people, even the most noblest ofpeople, only had one set of clothes, hence the big chests they have at the end of the beds, with iron straps and padlocks, cos if the clothes got robbed, they'd have to go around naked.
as we know, the women had no rights at all. but even the king's wives were as unimportant as any other woman, and unmarried queens were goverened by the male members of parliament.
meanwhile, in Arabia, it is mandatory to wash 5 times day, and not just hands and face, but the whole body, (just not as thoroughly i guess) and even the uhygenic people had to have a propper wash on a friday morning if not on any other day of the week. also, the arabs invented perfume, which wasnt discovered by the europeans until the crusades. they also had closets similar to what we have today, with more than one set of clothes.
the women, well put it this way, the prophet Mohammed's wife (this was before he started talking to God and islam was "created/restored" <--- which ever way you look at it) had her own business with men working for her. men and women were treated completely as equals, they would have even been allowed to play football without men laughing at them for it- if football had been invented.
here's the corny bit, the catholics thought themselves to be the purest of people in the world, so El Cid said "if the man is clean, doesn't smell, never lies or cheats his trade in the market, and has a toilet in his own house, he is a muslim and a barbarian, take him outside and crusify him immediately"
lol... barbarian...
next time, think before you say "dirty" or "smelly arab" i guess.