Zofia z Kasperowiec Kasparow

What people wore

Popularity of slitted clothing

Slitting sleeves and clothes to reveal contrasting linings or shirts underneath became a very popular trend in the early 16th century. This style was adopted by various social classes as a touch of flirtation and intimacy.

Daily life

Protective names given to young children

Before a formal naming ceremony at the first haircut, children were given protective names like Wolf or Not-Mine to mislead evil spirits.

Work

Compulsory unpaid labor on manorial farms

Peasants spent much of their time performing unpaid labor, known as panszczyzna, on the lord's manorial farm in addition to working their own plots. This obligation was legally set at a minimum of one day per week by 1520 and often required farmers to provide their own horses, oxen, and equipment.

Music

Music in church and home

In royal and urban churches, choirs like the Rorantists performed sophisticated a cappella polyphony, while townspeople in their homes sang a mix of Polish songs, French chansons, and Italian frottole.

At the table

Fish and salt preservation

Ordinary diets included fish such as carp and pike, which were often preserved with salt to supplement food supplies beyond the harvest.

Getting around

Common and Noble Modes of Travel

Ordinary people often traveled on foot or in simple carts called kolasa, whereas wealthy nobles frequently traveled on horseback or in carriages known as kolebka, which were suspended on leather straps for comfort.

What it cost

Purchasing power of weekly wages

For one week's wages, a laborer could purchase approximately 100 liters of beer or a pair of shoes, which cost 7 to 8 grossi.