John of Habsburg

What people wore

Strict clothing limits for citizens

Regulations prohibited common citizens from wearing gold, silver, pearls, velvet, or silk, though their wives could wear a gold ring valued at no more than five or six guilders. Unmarried women were permitted to wear a silver-studded, non-gilded velvet headband.

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.

News and letters

Private Access to Postal Services

By the 1520s, ordinary people and private merchants began using the Taxis postal service, paying set charges for their mail to be delivered alongside official letters.

Music

Performers at Prague festivals

During festive entries, groups of professional trumpeters and drummers provided music, while Jewish communities performed polyphonic Hebrew psalms to honor the ruler.

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.

Getting around

River transport speeds and challenges

While river travel was faster, reaching up to 150 km per day downstream, upstream travel was difficult and slow, often requiring boats to be towed by animals or people at speeds of no more than 25 km per day.

Work

Common jobs in urban areas

Everyday urban life in cities like Prague relied heavily on artisans such as bakers, brewers, smiths, and tailors, as well as service workers including porters, servants, and washerwomen.