Philip, Prince of Portugal

What people wore

Ceremonial dress and mourning attire

Ceremonial clothing in the early sixteenth century was often heavy, uncomfortable, and designed solely to be looked at, intentionally preventing the wearer from performing simple daily tasks. During this period, mourners wore coarse fabrics like burel, almáfega, and vaso as a form of penance.

Daily life

Multifunctional living in cramped urban homes

In cities like Lisbon, many modest households lived in narrow, rented rooms where cooking, sleeping, and storage were all compressed into one space. These homes often used wooden partitions, curtains, and benches to make rooms serve multiple purposes throughout the day.

Music

Common musical instruments in 16th-century Portugal

Common musical instruments in Portugal before 1500 included cordophones like lutes and harps, wind instruments such as flutes, bagpipes, and organs, and percussion like tambourines and adufes. Many instruments were used in secular and religious contexts, though some were banned from religious ceremonies by the church.

At the table

Common Foods and Market Delicacies

Sardines were a common and affordable fish for the poor, whereas fresh dairy products like cheese, cream, and milk-bread were sold in markets or by street vendors, sometimes adulterated with water. For sweet treats, ordinary people enjoyed honey-based items like alféloas and pinhoada.

Getting around

Daily travel distances and pace

A hurried group with riding animals could travel about 40 kilometers per day, provided they were not using oxen, which were much slower. Travelers often measured distances in leagues, though these were imprecise and often determined by how many taverns the muleteers wanted to stop at.