John III of Portugal

Music

Music on board ship expeditions

Long-distance maritime expeditions, such as Pedro Álvares Cabral's 1500 voyage, included musicians playing instruments like trumpets, drums, flutes, and bagpipes.

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.

Daily life

Street food in 16th-century Lisbon

People of limited means in Lisbon purchased a variety of ready-to-eat foods from street vendors, including fried fish, grilled sardines, boiled tripe, and sweets like rice pudding and marmalade.

What people wore

Commoner Clothing in Everyday Life

Ordinary people wore dark-colored clothing made of coarse, patched fabrics. Men wore woolen tunics, coarse leggings, and felt or cloth hats.

Getting around

Travel Methods and Social Class Restrictions

Travelers commonly used horses or mules for transport, while ordinary people typically traveled on foot or by donkey because riding a mule was a status symbol reserved for nobility, clergy, and military leaders until the 16th century.

What it cost

Rising Meat Prices in Lisbon

By the start of the 16th century, the price of meat in Lisbon rose sharply, with a 25 percent increase in the cost of beef and mutton occurring over a three-year period.