Isabella of Braganza

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

Higher Bread Costs in Cities

In urban centers like Lisbon, Funchal, and Algarve towns, the cost of daily bread was twice as high as it was in rural agricultural areas.

What people wore

Feast Day Formal Attire

On feast days, men wore breeches, vests, and jackets, often accessorized with large silver buckles on their shoes and breeches. If they did not own this formal attire, they borrowed it from others.

Daily life

Lisbon homes organized around a courtyard

Many houses used a central open courtyard that brought light and air into the interior and connected rooms together.

Work

Common jobs in Portugal

Seafaring, shipbuilding, and related trades like rope and sail manufacturing were major industries, alongside agricultural work, food supply, and craft professions.

Music

Music in civic and religious processions

In early 16th-century processions, such as Corpus Christi in Coimbra, participants performed choral polyphony, instrumental music, dances, and even acted out scenes while dressed as angels.

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.