Infanta Maria of Spain

What people wore

Daily and feast day clothing

Humble women often possessed only two outfits: one for daily chores and another specifically reserved for Sundays or feast days.

Daily life

Lighting and warmth from the hearth

The kitchen fireplace was the central source of light and warmth, fueled by wood logs placed on iron supports called morillos. For additional light, households used candles or oil lamps placed on large candlesticks or torch holders known as hacheros.

Work

Agricultural labor and regulated daily wages

Many ordinary people were agricultural day laborers who worked from sunrise to sunset, often under strict municipal wage caps. In 1588, for example, Cifuentes set daily wages between 1 and 2 reales depending on the season.

Music

Religious villancicos in church

During religious festivals like Corpus Christi, church music featured villancicos sung in the vernacular language accompanied by multiple choirs and instruments.

At the table

Wine was preferred to unsafe water

Wine was commonly drunk and even used to drink and cook; sources note people avoided water because its potability was poor and it could cause gastrointestinal illnesses.

Getting around

Difficult river crossings and extra taxes

Crossing rivers was difficult because of few bridges, forcing travelers to use small boats where they might wait hours to transport a single carriage or group of people. Boatmen charged a specific tax called barcaje for these crossings.

What it cost

Regulated seasonal wages

In 1588, the council of Cifuentes set wage caps for plowmen and pruners ranging from 34 maravedís to 68 maravedís depending on the season.