Maximiliaan van Egmond

What people wore

Flax harvest festival traditions

After the flax harvest, Flemish women would run through the streets dancing in large groups and stop travelers to tie flax strands around their legs or stirrups, refusing to let them pass without receiving small coins to fund a communal celebration.

Daily life

Housing conditions and light

Homes were typically made of wood, often with small windows covered in oiled parchment instead of glass, which allowed little sunlight inside. In poorer households, multiple families might share a single room for cooking, eating, and sleeping.

Work

Harvest labor and daily wages

Harvest workers, including many women, worked from sunrise to sunset and were often paid in cash and free beer. In the 1440s, a female harvester could earn 10.2 Flemish d. groten per day, a wage that could help lease a small land parcel.

Music

Margaret of Austria's rare dance book

Margaret of Austria possessed a dance book from around 1500 containing 58 songs with gold staves and silver notes, which included dance instructions in letters below the music.

At the table

Beer was the standard daily beverage

Most people drank beer instead of water, which was often considered unsafe, and children also consumed beer. Wine was also popular, though it was frequently diluted with water.

Getting around

Staple rights could delay travelers significantly

Staple rights in cities like Grave or Venlo could force merchants to offer their goods for sale for several days, significantly delaying journeys.

What it cost

Daily wages of a skilled worker

In 1500, a skilled worker in the Low Countries earned 5 stuivers per day, increasing to 6 stuivers by 1525.