Henry I of 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

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.

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.

Daily life

Cooking depended on hearths and stored fuel

Household cooking relied on a fire area and stored goods within the same domestic space, with hearths/brazier-type setups as everyday equipment.

Work

Memorable fact: The sea chest

Sailors often stored their precious belongings, such as navigational tools or pewter utensils, in a shared wooden sea chest that was passed down through generations.

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

Common drinks and the poor's fish

Water and wine were the primary drinks, and in cities, water carriers sold fresh water using carts or jars to those who needed it. Sardines were a staple for the poor, often serving as a common alternative to more expensive fish or meat.