Joanna of Naples

What people wore

Restrictions on jewelry for young adults

Sumptuary laws issued in 1516 forbade residents under thirty from wearing jewels or pearls, though they were permitted to own no more than three rings decorated with precious stones.

Daily life

Dining arrangements in the home

Florentine homes lacked dedicated dining rooms; instead, tables were set up wherever convenient, such as in front of a fireplace during winter. Food was passed to diners who sat only on one side of the table.

Work

Festive Kingdoms and Social Exclusion

Lower-class workers formed festive groups called potenze to reclaim social status, where they elected their own kings and turned their districts into mock kingdoms during holidays like May Day. Additionally, the Wool Guild once funded the massive Cathedral project, yet the subordinate wool-beaters who did the actual work remained excluded from guild politics.

Music

Popular Carnival Songs and Street Performances

Ordinary people in Florence during the early 16th century enjoyed carnival songs, which were popular secular tunes performed during processions, parades, and street revelry. These songs often featured witty texts about trade guilds or products, such as the Song of the Chimney Sweepers, and were sung by costumed groups.

At the table

Monotonous diet for poor Florentines

Ordinary families had a monotonous diet based on unsalted bread, which was supplemented with inexpensive vegetables such as onions, fava beans, and black kale, or legumes instead of meat.

Getting around

Transport via pack animals and ox carts

In the 16th century, mountain road transport was done entirely by pack animals, while carts pulled by oxen were only used on flat roads with rudimentary paving.

What it cost

Unskilled worker daily wages

An unskilled worker in Florence could earn between 7 and 10 soldi per day, often totaling less than 20 florins annually.