Maria Ana Francisca of Portugal

What people wore

Fishermen's simple daily and festive attire

Fishermen typically wore linen breeches to the knee, a wool cap, and a vest called a sertum, only adding a jacket in cold weather. On feast days, they wore formal outfits with silver shoe buckles, borrowing from friends or relatives if they did not own one.

Daily life

Water delivered by paid carriers

Drinking water was often delivered to homes by water carriers; in one noble household, a water carrier was paid 2$400 réis per month for this service.

Music

Private serenatas were common aristocratic entertainment

In Lisbon's aristocratic circles, women hosted private evening parties called serenatas in their homes, where they sang, danced, and employed professional musicians.

At the table

Bread price and weight regulations

In times of scarcity, a pound of wheat bread cost 10 réis, but when grain prices rose to 500 réis, the weight of the bread was reduced to about 0.3 kilograms.

Getting around

Travel by foot and pack animals

In the mid-18th century, ordinary people primarily traveled on foot or used pack animals like mules, as there were almost no carriage roads for public transport. Travel was slow and difficult, with carriages like the seggia or liteira being rare, expensive luxuries for the elite.