Gaspard II de Coligny

What people wore

Keeping garments clean while working

When performing dirty work, peasant women tucked their long cotes into the waistbands of their aprons to keep the hems clean.

Daily life

The rise of village schools

In the early 16th century, public authorities began to prioritize primary instruction, such as when the municipality of Morhange established a school in 1517. Households sometimes provided initial learning, and a home for teaching children was donated in Dieulouard in 1504.

Work

Common jobs in rural Lorraine

Most people in the Duchy of Lorraine were peasants who worked in agriculture, mainly focusing on cereal crops like grains. Additional industries like glass manufacturing, salt mining, and paper production were also important rural occupations.

Music

Musicians and their earnings

Court musicians known as tabourins often played the flute and drum simultaneously, using one hand for each instrument. The Duke's favorite rebec player, Guillaume Baudet, earned enough to purchase a house in Nancy in 1514.

At the table

Drinks and Fasting Days

Common people often drank water or a low-quality fermented drink called picotte, while taverns were important social spaces. During the frequent religious fast days, which numbered up to 150 per year, they relied on river fish or dried sea fish instead of meat.

Getting around

Travel by foot and pack animals

Ordinary travelers, including artisans and merchants, typically traveled on foot or used pack animals like horses, asses, and mules because carts frequently became stuck in mud on the roads.

What it cost

Payment for heraldic work in 1519

In 1519, Nicolas Graxien was paid 22 francs for crafting nine heraldic shields for the duchess's apartments and providing the necessary colors.