Claude of Lorraine, duke of Aumale

At the table

Daily Bread, Porridge, and Soup

Ordinary Lorrainers typically ate one to two pounds of bread daily, often supplementing it with soup, porridge made from grain cooked in lard, and cheese. Vegetables like legumes were dietary staples, while meat was primarily consumed as boiled soup meat.

What people wore

Peasant women's head covering

Peasant women in the countryside wore a simple cloth over their heads to protect against bad weather, often folding it to create a hood under the chin.

Getting around

Daily travel distance for pack animals

In level country, merchant trains using pack animals could cover fifteen to twenty-five miles per day.

What it cost

Cost of shoes

The cost of shoemaking, specifically a pair of shoes, ranged from 0.6 to 1.34 sols tournois during the 16th century.

Music

Popular Morisque dance at court

At the ducal court, the Morisque was a popular dance performed by costumed men and women, especially during the carnival season. In 1521, Duke Antoine granted thirty francs to performers to help pay for their elaborate dance costumes.

Daily life

Limited Availability of Primary Schooling

Primary education was rare and highly localized, often funded by individual patrons or local church officials; for instance, a school in Bauzemont was supported by an annual endowment of four résaux of wheat. Instruction was not widespread, and specialized secondary or higher education usually required travel outside the duchy, such as to Paris.