Margarita Catalina von Habsburg

What people wore

The Unbuttoning Taboo

Men in 17th-century Spain were so committed to etiquette that they believed it was a noble affront to ever unbutton their doublet and reveal their shirt, even during a fight.

Daily life

Nightly waste disposal and street hygiene

To maintain hygiene, residents often threw waste from their homes onto the streets at night, leading to the famous cry of "agua va" to warn passersby. This practice contributed significantly to the extreme filth and foul odors reported by foreign travelers in cities like Madrid.

News and letters

Secret notes hidden in objects

People used small, secret notes called billetes, which were sometimes hidden in everyday objects like conservation boxes or inside water jugs to maintain privacy.

Music

Popular and Controversial Zarabanda Dance

The zarabanda was a popular but controversial folk dance accompanied by the guitar, castanets, and tambourine; it was frequently banned for its perceived lascivious nature and vulgar gestures.

At the table

Wine as a staple drink

Wine was considered a primary necessity and healthier than water, which was often contaminated; people frequently drank it diluted with water to gain calories and mitigate thirst.

Getting around

Common methods of travel

Most people traveled on foot or horseback, though wealthy individuals used litters carried by mules or human-powered sedan chairs.

Work

Regulated daily wages for agricultural workers

Agricultural workers in Castile had wages strictly set by local councils, earning between 1.5 and 2 reales per day plus meals during autumn and winter, and up to 4 reales plus meals during the wheat harvest.