Victor Amadeus II of Savoy

What it cost

Regulated bread and food distribution during crises

In times of famine, authorities in the Duchy fixed maximum daily purchase quantities for cereals to limit speculation. They also opened state-run shops to sell bread made from lower-quality cereals and pulses at low, controlled prices to help the poorest citizens.

Music

Lute purchased for 6 scudi

In July 1559, the court paid 6 scudi moneta to the maker Master Martino for a lute, highlighting the instrument's role in personal entertainment for the nobility.

Daily life

Kitchen life in Piacenza's Apennines

In the Piacenza Apennines, the kitchen was the family hub, featuring a large, protruding wooden hood over a hearth where fires were sometimes built directly on the floor. Wealthy families often built niches into the walls beside the fireplace, allowing them to rest and stay warm near the fire.

Work

Peasant Rents and Sales

Peasant families paying rent for land often paid in money and agricultural products, such as an inescapable pair of capons due by November 11th, St. Martin's Day. They supplemented their income by selling surplus wine, poultry, eggs, and cheese.

Getting around

Land travel relied on animals and foot

In the 17th century, travel on land typically relied on the speed of horses, oxen, or walking, with carriages, mules, or foot travel being the primary methods for people to move between towns.

At the table

Bread and subsistence diets

City dwellers often ate bread made with fine flour, while rural families frequently relied on coarser bread mixtures containing pulses and less valuable cereals. In times of extreme hardship, rural inhabitants might sustain themselves primarily on beans and chestnuts.