Eduardo de Portugal

Getting around

Daily Travel Distances

A hurried travel party on horseback could cover approximately 40 kilometers per day, though this distance was significantly reduced if the animals used for traction were oxen.

What it cost

Higher Bread Costs in Cities

In urban centers like Lisbon, Funchal, and Algarve towns, the cost of daily bread was twice as high as it was in rural agricultural areas.

What people wore

Feast Day Formal Attire

On feast days, men wore breeches, vests, and jackets, often accessorized with large silver buckles on their shoes and breeches. If they did not own this formal attire, they borrowed it from others.

Daily life

Cooking and staple daily diets

Cooking was done on hearths and braziers using ceramic pots, and fuel like firewood and charcoal was a significant household expense that had to be managed carefully. Daily meals typically centered on bread, wine, legumes, onions, garlic, and seasonal vegetables, with fish providing a primary source of protein.

Work

Diverse Jobs in 16th-Century Lisbon

In 16th-century Lisbon, common jobs included artisans, merchants, and numerous food vendors like regateiras who sold fish and produce. Enslaved people also played a major role, working as street vendors, water carriers, and laborers in various trades.

Music

Music in civic and religious processions

In early 16th-century processions, such as Corpus Christi in Coimbra, participants performed choral polyphony, instrumental music, dances, and even acted out scenes while dressed as angels.

At the table

Simple fare for ordinary Portuguese families

Ordinary families often ate light meals of fruit and bread, or pottages of cereals and vegetables, saving meat and sweets for festive days. In 1422, a local council purchased farteis, which were cakes made with flour, eggs, butter, and sometimes almonds, for community celebrations.