Archduchess Maria Theresa of Austria

What people wore

Traditional dress of Austrian peasants

Upper Austrian peasants commonly wore dark-gray jackets, red waistcoats with spherical metal buttons, and black leather breeches. They completed the outfit with tight buskins and broad-brimmed, shallow-crowned round hats.

Getting around

Stagecoach limits: ~37 km/day

Stagecoaches were limited by roads and track spacing, managing only about 37 km per day on average in early modern conditions.

At the table

Common refreshment for poor women

Poor women who could not afford wine often drank water mixed with vinegar to quench their thirst.

Music

Ceremonial Brass and Percussion Instruments

Trumpets and timpani were essential instruments used for state ceremonies, church processions, and official announcements, often serving to capture public attention in city squares.

Daily life

Shared urban living in cramped quarters

For ordinary residents, homes were often cramped rented rooms in multi-story buildings where daily tasks like cooking, sleeping, and working were all performed in the same limited space. Families relied on neighborhood wells and fountains for water and had to manage heating through tiled stoves that required constant attention.

Work

Combining multiple occupations for survival

Workers often combined multiple jobs, such as bricklaying in summer and weaving in winter, or day-laboring alongside small-scale farming.