Archduke Johann Karl of Austria

What people wore

Children’s rigid clothing standards

Children from poorer families typically wore only a long simple shirt, while children past the age of four were dressed in the same uncomfortable, restrictive clothing styles as their parents.

Daily life

Education for children

In rural areas, formal schooling was rare, whereas children of urban artisans and craftsmen received elementary education.

Work

Rural work in the Habsburg lands

In the countryside, peasant households employed servants including maids and farm-hands, while day labourers were hired specifically for intensive periods like harvests.

Music

Domestic music in early 17th-century Austria

The Linzer Orgeltabulatur, compiled between 1611 and 1613, contains 108 pieces that were intended for domestic recreation on the regal, a small reed-organ, rather than for church use.

At the table

Monotonous daily diet of the poor

For ordinary families, daily meals were monotonous and consisted mostly of soups, porridges made from oats or barley, pulses like peas or beans, and cabbage. Meat was rarely consumed by the common people, who relied on these staples for their daily nutrition.

Getting around

Walking and riding were primary transport methods.

Most people traveled on foot, covering 20 to 35 kilometers per day depending on the terrain. Wealthier individuals traveled by horse or carriage, though poor road conditions and the risk of accidents often limited daily progress to similar distances.

What it cost

Weekly Worker Expenses

In the 17th century, a worker required about 100 Kreuzer per week to cover basic necessities like grain, meat, fat, and candles for his family.