Margaret of Schwarzburg-Arnstadt

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

Carnival Dances and Singing Traditions

During the Nuremberg carnival, butchers performed a traditional round dance in public, which was supported by the city council and accompanied by professional town pipers. Dancers also frequently sang as they performed in these rounds, although some city councils prohibited the singing of shameful songs during the festivities.

At the table

Regional bread preferences in Germany

In northern regions, dark sourdough rye bread was the staple food, while in the south, laborers expected lighter bread made from wheat.

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

Meat prices and daily wages

A daily wage for a laborer in Augsburg was equivalent to the value of 5 to 6 pounds of the best meat. In Bavaria, one pound of the best beef cost 2 pfennige, while a day laborer earned 18 pfennige daily.