Kunigunde of Austria

What people wore

Daily versus festive peasant wear

Peasant women wore a fine linen blouse called a harbene Pfoad on feast days, but used a coarse linen blouse known as a rupferne Pfoad for everyday work. Many peasant dresses were notably shorter than town styles, frequently stopping at mid-calf to allow for easier movement.

Daily life

Sleeping arrangements for children

People often slept together in one room, and children sometimes slept in roll-out beds tucked under the large, curtained beds of their parents.

Work

Rural Servants and Their Year-Long Contracts

Most rural households employed farm-hands and maids who worked for wages, board, and lodging; leaving before their one-year contract ended often meant forfeiting all wages.

Music

Rules for Dancing and Singing

In 1533, the Strasbourg city council permitted round dances but specifically prohibited the singing of shameful songs while dancing. Singing in a round was a common practice, as shown by the dance song Ich spring an disem ringe.

At the table

Common beverages of the period

Beer was the common daily drink, having completely replaced mead in many areas by 1500, while apple and pear cider (Most) was also traditional. Wine was typically reserved for the upper classes and official gatherings.

Getting around

Travel by horse or donkey

While wealthy individuals traveled on horseback, those wishing to show humility often chose to ride a donkey.

What it cost

Vienna day laborer wages, 1525–1549

In 1525, a daily laborer in Vienna earned 6.83 Kreuzer per day. By 1549, this wage had decreased to 6.00 Kreuzer per day.