Dominik Aleksander Kazanowski

What people wore

Everyday city jermiak coats

Ordinary city dwellers often wore a simple, unlined outer garment known as a jermiak, which was typically made of undyed grey or black kersey.

Daily life

Contrast in education by social class

Children of most peasants and burghers were illiterate, and primary schools were rare. In wealthy families, however, girls were often taught at home, and some magnate daughters achieved high literacy, with many learning Latin or German.

Work

Common jobs in the Grand Duchy

Most peasants worked as farmers, balancing their own household tasks with required labor on the lord's manor, known as corvée or tyaglo. Skilled tradespeople like smiths and carpenters also lived in rural areas to supply neighbors with essential tools and goods.

Music

Elaborate Jesuit processions and music

Jesuit colleges, such as those in Vilnius, Kražiai, and Pašiaušė, held elaborate Corpus Christi processions featuring singers and orchestras, where students would play a variety of instruments to celebrate the holiday.

At the table

Beer and mead as everyday drinks

Beer was a common beverage in cities and estates, with residents often storing it in multiple barrels alongside mead for home consumption or sale.

Getting around

Long travel times between towns

A journey from Vilnius to Kaunas, now covered in under 90 minutes, took an entire day by horse-drawn transport. Speeds for carts or walking were roughly 25 kilometers per day, while light horse travel reached about 55 kilometers per day.

What it cost

Prices of food and shoes

Around 1600, a chicken cost 2 groszy, while a pair of standard shoes cost between 15 and 80 groszy.