During the Baroque era, many religious leaders condemned the fork as an immoral luxury.

The fork's journey into Western Europe began in the 11th century when a Byzantine princess, Theodora Anna Doukaina, brought gold forks to Venice for her wedding to Doge Domenico Selvo. Local clergy were horrified by her refusal to eat with her hands. St. Peter Damian famously criticized her 'excessive delicacy,' claiming her vanity led to her early death from a mysterious illness shortly after.By the 16th century, Catherine de' Medici helped popularize the fork in the French court, but religious resistance persisted for decades. Clerics argued that God provided humans with natural fingers to touch food, making artificial tools a blasphemous replacement. This theological opposition was particularly strong in Italy and France during the early Baroque period.The shift toward acceptance was driven by fashion rather than hygiene. During the 17th century, the 'Ruff' collar became a massive, expensive status symbol made of delicate lace and starch. Eating with hands often led to messy spills that ruined these garments, so the long-handled fork became a practical necessity for the elite.By the late 1600s, the French court of Louis XIV helped solidify the fork's place in high society. While the King himself initially preferred eating with his fingers, the evolution of 'French Service' eventually required specific utensils for different courses. By 1750, the four-tined fork we recognize today had become standard across Europe, completing its transition from a 'devil's tool' to an essential household item.