Charles II of Spain

What people wore

Cost of fashionable accessories in reales

In 1680, a vara (roughly 84 cm) of smoke-colored fabric for a mantle was valued at seven and a half reales, while a luxurious fan could cost as much as six escudos. These prices illustrate the significant investment required for fashionable accessories, which were sometimes bought at the expense of necessities like basic clothing for the poor.

Daily life

Waste management and public hygiene regulations

Many ordinary homes lacked indoor toilets, forcing residents to throw human waste into the streets at night, which was punishable by fines and exile.

Work

Wages and benefits in diverse roles

Field laborers earned between 30 maravedíes and 3.5 reales per day, while some apprentices had contracts specifying they would earn 10 reales per month after four years of training. Household servants received food, drink, a bed, and washed clothes in addition to annual salaries that could reach 473 reales.

Music

Provocative dances dominated social life

Popular, provocative dances like the zarabanda and chacona originated in the streets and were often criticized for their lascivious nature, yet they remained immensely popular.

At the table

Meat was a rare luxury

Meat was a luxury for ordinary people, with beef being preferred because it was one-third cheaper than mutton. Many families survived on a mostly vegetarian diet of bread, legumes, and vegetables.

Getting around

Carriage travel and incidents in mid-17th century Madrid

Travel by carriage was largely reserved for the wealthy or noble; these vehicles were uncomfortable as they lacked suspension and had their body fixed to the wheel axles. Traffic congestion in Madrid was severe enough that in January 1655, a dispute over a coach accident led an offended noble to attack the governor's mules with a sword.

What it cost

Cost of bread and beef in 1665

In 1665, a pound of bread cost 37.6 maravedíes, while a kilogram of beef cost 52 maravedíes.