Gian Carlo de' Medici

What people wore

Famine-Era Food Restrictions and Rationing

During periods of famine, authorities prohibited the baking of luxury bread and sweets to control food costs. The poorest citizens relied on state-subsidized shops that sold bread made from a mix of inferior cereals and pulses.

At the table

Strict bread rationing for the poor

To ensure urban stability during food shortages, authorities strictly rationed bread, forcing the poor to eat smaller loaves made from a mixture of less valuable cereals and pulses. In contrast, fine flour bread was reserved exclusively for city residents.

News and letters

The Cost of Sending a Letter

Sending a letter by the ordinary postal service cost between 7 and 9 Milanese soldi per ounce, which was roughly equivalent to the price of three or four loaves of bread.

Getting around

Travel and Communication in the Duchy

In the early 17th century, the Via Emilia was a vital, though sometimes poorly maintained, route for transit between Piacenza, Parma, and Bologna, featuring regular services by couriers and messengers who operated on fixed schedules. Travel on this route was managed via post stations where riders could change horses to maintain efficient communication networks.

What it cost

Soaring wheat prices in Parma

The controlled price of wheat in Parma's public market rose sharply from 117 soldi in 1588 to a peak of 402 soldi in 1592 during a major subsistence crisis.

Daily life

Schooling for the noble elite

Duke Ranuccio I founded a boarding school for noble boys in 1601, where students learned French, dancing, horsemanship, and fortification design. High fees were charged for this exclusive education that attracted pupils from across Europe.

Work

Public works for the poor

In 1591, the construction of the Parma Citadel was ordered specifically to provide employment for a labor force of 2,500 poor city residents.