Sigmund Reichardt von Tättenbach

At the table

Simple diet of the common people

Ordinary families typically relied on simple fare such as porridges made from oats, barley, or legumes, while meat was a rare luxury reserved for special occasions.

What people wore

Strict Laws Regulated Everyday Clothing

Sumptuary laws strictly regulated attire, prohibiting ordinary people from wearing items like silk, velvet, silver-embroidered items, or pearls to maintain social hierarchy. Clothing for commoners was limited to basic wool, linen, and leather materials, with shoes costing no more than 10 or 12 florins.

Getting around

Walking was the primary mode of travel

Most ordinary people traveled exclusively on foot, typically covering 20 to 35 kilometers per day depending on the terrain.

What it cost

Cost of a pair of shoes

A soldier's shoes with a simple sole cost 5 Batzen, while those with a double sole cost 7 Batzen.

Music

Musical instruments at noble gatherings

At social gatherings of the nobility, people entertained themselves by dancing, playing games, and performing music on pairs of instruments such as the lute and viol, or cornetto and drum.

Daily life

The shared household-family life

Ordinary people lived in a household-family, a shared community where parents, children, grandparents, and staff worked together under one roof.