Hartmann of Liechtenstein

At the table

Everyday grain-based gruels

Ordinary families relied heavily on grain-based gruels, which were made by crushing cereals in a mortar, soaking them, and cooking them with water and fat. This simple, calorie-dense dish was preferred over flour-based meals because milling grain into flour at home was labor-intensive and flour spoiled quickly.

What people wore

Clothing as a valuable, shared asset

Clothing was a long-term investment that was rarely discarded, often circulating through society via pawning, inheritance, auctions, and second-hand markets. To keep garments clean, peasant women wore functional aprons, often nearly as wide as the skirt itself.

Getting around

The high cost of wagon travel

In 1516, traveling by hired wagon from Dvur Kralove to Prague cost a passenger 20 Meissen groschen, plus 10 groschen for the driver's tip and 30 groschen for meals, totaling one kopa (60 groschen). This was a significant expense, considering an annual teacher's salary was 16 kopa.

What it cost

Relative cost of shoes

A pair of shoes in 1543 cost as much as 10 kilograms of meat, indicating the relative cost of essential goods.

Music

Role of school choirs

Schoolboys from parish churches were a staple of musical life, frequently performing polyphonic compositions for both religious and public state occasions.

Daily life

Water Access and Daily Chores

Domestic life relied on shared public infrastructure such as communal wells, riverbanks, and market squares to access water. Inside the house, tasks like carrying water, washing, and tending to stoves were time-consuming daily chores.