Mary of Lorraine

At the table

Diet of poor vs. wealthy peasants

While wealthier peasants had access to various meats and fruits, poorer families primarily relied on a basic diet of soup, bread, and cheese. They often drank a local beverage known as picotte instead of wine.

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.

Getting around

Public access to royal postal horses

By the early sixteenth century, King Francis I allowed the public to travel by the royal postal service, which used horses at a gallop between relay stations, though this service was very expensive.

What it cost

Glazier's annual wages in 1511

In 1511, Nicolas Graxien, a glazier for the ducal household in Nancy, received an annual wage of 8 francs and 8 measures of grain.

Music

Popular carnival dance at court

The Morisca was the most popular dance at the court of Lorraine, frequently performed by both men and women during the carnival season in costume.

Daily life

Cooking over an open fire

Families cooked pottage or porridge all day in iron or brass kettles over a central fire on a stone hearth. To keep the smoke from filling the room, some homes used a conical hood or funnel to vent the fire toward the roof.