Ferdinand I of Austria

What people wore

Frequent Shoe Replacement for Servants

Servants required a high number of shoes, with farmhands receiving six pairs and maids five pairs annually, due to poor, muddy paths and harsh working conditions.

Getting around

Mail coach travel discomfort

Travel by mail coach was uncomfortable, with passengers complaining of seats as hard as stone, and typically involved covering only about 37 kilometers per day.

At the table

Potatoes become a staple food

During the second half of the eighteenth century, the potato became a vital staple food for lower social classes in the Habsburg monarchy because it was cheap, easy to grow, and yielded more than cereals.

Music

Regional preferences for dance instruments

Towards the end of the 18th century, different instruments became favored for dance music depending on the setting, with harps and violins common in urban taverns, while zithers and hammered dulcimers were more typical in rural alpine regions.

Daily life

Water, cooking, and food preservation challenges

Because many city wells were contaminated, residents often purchased water from street water-men, while cooking was done over open hearths or brick stoves that often left indoor environments smoky. Families preserved food by salting, drying, or storing items in cool, dark cellars to survive without modern refrigeration.

What it cost

Annual wages of farmhands and laborers

A common farmhand in the 18th century earned an annual salary of 10 to 20 goldens, although they also received free room and board. In comparison, a regular daily laborer might earn between 50 and 100 goldens per year.