Brites de Castro-Osorio, 6.Condesa de Lemos

What people wore

Daily and feast day clothing

Humble women often possessed only two outfits: one for daily chores and another specifically reserved for Sundays or feast days.

Daily life

Lighting and warmth from the hearth

The kitchen fireplace was the central source of light and warmth, fueled by wood logs placed on iron supports called morillos. For additional light, households used candles or oil lamps placed on large candlesticks or torch holders known as hacheros.

Work

Morning hiring and harsh labor control

Laborers often gathered at a designated plaza before dawn to be hired, and municipal authorities sometimes threatened strikers or those refusing to work with imprisonment.

Music

The popular five-course guitar

The five-course guitar emerged as the most popular instrument in Spain, played in all social settings ranging from taverns and homes to the royal court.

At the table

Bread and cheap cheese shaped meals

For ordinary people, bread was the basic staple; descriptions of popular diets emphasize pan and modest additions like cheese, such as “mendrugos de pan, queso y cebolla.”

Getting around

Long travel times and banditry risks

Land travel was slow and expensive, with journeys from the central plateau to the coast often taking about 15 days. Road conditions were so hazardous in some regions that travelers faced a clear risk to their lives from banditry.

What it cost

Gender wage gap in 1553 agriculture

In 1553 Requena, male field workers earned between 34 and 68 maravedíes per day depending on the month, while women earned a fixed rate of only 17 maravedíes per day.