William, Duke of Saxe-Weimar

What people wore

Sumptuary Laws Restricting Social Dress

Strict sumptuary laws restricted what citizens could wear based on their social status; for instance, common citizens and artisans were forbidden from using expensive materials like gold, silver, pearls, velvet, or silk. Wives of common citizens were allowed to wear a gold ring valued at no more than five or six guilders and a veil with a golden border no more than two fingers wide.

Daily life

Regulation of waste and public conduct

Public authorities in the 16th century strictly regulated domestic waste disposal, punishing the act of pouring urine or dirty dishwater onto the streets. Naked swimming was also heavily sanctioned, with eight men in Frankfurt being sentenced to four weeks of prison on bread and water for swimming in the Main river in 1541.

News and letters

Messengers and Information Exchange at Inns

While a growing imperial postal network served major centers, many travelers and ordinary people relied on independent messengers who walked or rode between towns. These messengers often met at roadside inns to share information about road conditions, directions, and safety.

Music

Town pipers performed music from towers

Civic musicians known as Stadtpfeifer regularly performed music from church towers and town hall balconies, often using loud brass and wind instruments like the cornett, sackbut, and shawm.

At the table

Grains and vegetables as staples

For ordinary families, grains served as the foundation of the diet in the form of porridges or coarse breads. Vegetables such as turnips, cabbage, and onions were essential daily staples, often cooked with lard or bacon.

Getting around

Travel challenges and gate closures

Traveling was physically demanding, often on unpaved roads through forests or fields, and travelers had to reach their destination before nightfall because city gates were locked at sunset. Common travelers often struggled with bad weather and the lack of comfortable transport, making a simple journey a serious endeavor.

Work

Remarkable Skills of Ordinary People

A Tübingen cobbler reportedly used advanced swimming and breath-holding techniques to dive into dangerous whirlpools in the Neckar River to steal high-quality fish. Such specialized knowledge of swimming was documented in early training manuals, which even suggested using reeds or animal bladders as buoyancy aids.