Anna of Brandenburg

What people wore

Essential Daily Aprons for Women

Peasant women typically wore an apron over their dress throughout the day because most household chores were messy. This apron often extended to the feet and could also cover their torso.

Daily life

Small, dark peasant homes housing livestock

Ordinary peasant homes were typically small, dark, two-room huts made from materials like mud and straw, often featuring dirt floors and thatched roofs with few or no windows to keep out the cold. In many households, it was common to bring livestock inside during the winter to keep them warm and safe.

Work

Craftsman wages and food prices

South German masons and carpenters earned approximately 20 denarii in summer and 16 in winter daily, plus board and lodging. During this time, beef cost about 2 denarii per pound.

Music

Rural Music and Dance Instruments

Travelers often brought diverse instruments to rural areas, including the dulcimer, hurdy-gurdy, shawm, and bagpipes to accompany community festivities. In these settings, people often danced in circles, sometimes singing traditional songs without instrumental accompaniment.

At the table

German reputation for fatty, mustard-heavy diets

Germans were known for a fatty diet, using lard and butter extensively for cooking, and were famous for smearing generous amounts of mustard on meat.

Getting around

Traveling primarily on foot

Most ordinary people traveled on foot, covering about 20 to 30 kilometers per day, as they could not afford horses or carriages.

What it cost

Soldier pay and equipment costs

A Landsknecht soldier earned 4 gulden per month in 1507, but had to pay for his own food, clothing, and equipment, which included a full suit of armor costing 16 gulden.