Cecilia Renata of Austria

What people wore

Exclusive aristocratic symbols

Wearing the color red or sporting a feather on a hat were considered highly elitist practices reserved for the aristocracy and prohibited for the rural population.

Daily life

Children treated as adults

Children were typically treated like small adults and were expected to emulate adult behavior as they learned crafts and chores from their parents.

Work

Mining work schedules and breaks

Miners in Schwaz worked twelve-hour shifts that included approximately four hours of breaks, resulting in an effective eight-hour workday.

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

Candle Prices

In the early 17th century, one pound of tallow candles cost 6 Kreuzer, while a pound of table candles cost 28 Kreuzer.