In the news1558
First postal service and industrial growth
In 1558, the first Polish postal service was established, significantly improving communication infrastructure for the country. This period also saw the development of local artillery manufacturing, with 178 workshops employing 1,100 craftsmen.
At the table
Beer as a daily staple
Beer was the most common everyday drink, often served as soup with breadcrumbs or given to children and pregnant women for strength.
What people wore
Valuation of peasant clothing sets
A full set of clothing for an ordinary Ukrainian peasant was valued at 26.5 zlotys for men and 52 zlotys for women, with the women's set including a shirt, skirt, and corset. Those who possessed such a complete set were considered wealthy by their community.
Getting around
Luxury transport for the wealthy
Wealthy individuals often traveled in covered wagons known as coaches (kocz) or cradles (kolebka), which were sometimes suspended on leather straps for comfort.
What it cost
Food affordability for workers
A worker could purchase a chicken for 1 grossus, a goose for 1.5 to 2 grossi, or a cluster of 60 eggs for 3 grossi with their daily wage.
Music
Carnival sleigh rides and masquerade balls
During the carnival season, the Polish gentry organized festive sleigh rides from mansion to mansion, accompanied by musicians playing dance music, which often culminated in a masquerade ball where nobles dressed as peasants, Jews, or Gypsies.
Daily life
Education and literacy expectations
Schooling was highly valued by the nobility to prepare children for public service, and by the second half of the 16th century, commoners' children made up over half of the students at the Krakow Academy. For those who could not read or write, the label of idiot or simpleton was commonly used, regardless of status.