Christian, Duke of Brieg

What people wore

Valuable Noblewoman's Clothing

Seventeenth-century noblewomen's wills show that items like fur-lined coats, velvet dresses, and specific headgear such as caps and wimples were vital assets, sometimes valued higher than silver or jewelry.

Daily life

Home-based nobility education

Children of the nobility were often educated at home, with lessons sometimes including physical training like throwing spears or archery, while girls were trained in household management, sewing, and embroidery to prepare for their future roles as wives and mothers. Formal education was often tailored to the child's age, and parents were warned against using excessive force, as it could cause the child to lose their presence of mind.

Work

Mandatory serfdom labor requirements

Peasants were required to perform compulsory serfdom labor on noble estates for two to three days each week.

Music

Stryjanka dance at home

The stryjanka dance, performed at home to the accompaniment of a violin, consisted of a stately march followed by a lively mazurka.

At the table

Staple foods in peasant diets

A peasant diet during this period was primarily based on rye bread, with adults consuming 0.6 to 0.9 kilograms daily, alongside porridge, peas, and cabbage.

Getting around

Average daily travel distances

Travel was slow, with people on foot covering 20–25 km per day and carriages covering 25–30 km per day. Large magnate processions were similarly slow, often traveling only 25–30 km daily.

What it cost

Cost of Bread and Shoes

Basic items were affordable: bread cost less than one grosz, and a pair of shoes ranged from 9 to 24 grosze in the 17th century. In 1671, the price of a pair of shoes reached 19.1 grosze.