Egenolf III de Rappolstein

At the table

German reputation for fatty, mustard-heavy diets

Germans were known for a fatty diet, using lard and butter extensively for cooking, and were famous for smearing generous amounts of mustard on meat.

What people wore

Everyday and Sunday Best Clothing

Most people owned at least two sets of clothing, keeping one for everyday work and another cleaner set for church and social events. Clothing was frequently patched and mended, with garments and good linen undergarments often bequeathed to heirs.

Getting around

Traveling primarily on foot

Most ordinary people traveled on foot, covering about 20 to 30 kilometers per day, as they could not afford horses or carriages.

What it cost

Laborer wages and shoe costs

In early 16th-century Saxony, a day laborer could earn 9 groschen per week with keep or 16 groschen without keep. For comparison, a pair of shoes cost 3 groschen.

Music

Strict regulation of dancing and music

City authorities strictly regulated festivals, banning "useless and indecent dancing" and restricting music performances at weddings to a maximum of three musicians.

Daily life

Central hearths for light and cooking

The primary source of light, heat, and cooking in many homes was a central indoor campfire, as open hearths were common in smaller dwellings. Wealthier urban households sometimes had their own wells and used specialized kitchen equipment like bronze mortars for grinding spices and three-legged Dutch ovens, known as Grapen, for roasting or stewing.