Ivan Mikhailovich Romanov

What people wore

Footwear by social class

Ordinary peasant women wore bast shoes made from tree bark or vine twigs, whereas wealthier women wore boots or shoes made from leather, velvet, or brocade with high heels.

Daily life

Living in a Serf Izba

Serf dwellings were one-room log cabins (izbas) with tiny windows, often covered with stretched animal bladder or mica rather than glass to conserve heat. These homes were typically heated by a large clay-based oven that took up a quarter of the floor area and doubled as a sleeping platform.

Work

Daily Wages for Urban Workers

Skilled urban craftsmen, such as carpenters, shoemakers, and blacksmiths, commonly earned a daily wage of 4 to 5 kopecks. Even unskilled laborers, known as yaryzhki, earned 3 kopecks per day, a rate that remained stable throughout the reign of Michael Feodorovich.

Music

Development of Polyphonic Spiritual Songs

Spiritual songs were traditionally monophonic, but by the seventeenth century, they were increasingly composed for two to four voices. These songs were performed by men, boys, and women at home, during church festivities, or outdoors.

At the table

Kvass was the most common daily drink

Common folk drank kvass, a fermented beverage made from rye or barley malt, daily. Alcohol such as beer and honey-based drinks were also consumed, though rural residents often produced these at home, while urban tavern customers spent an average of about 3 rubles and 66 kopecks annually on drinks.

Getting around

Carrying Supplies for Long Journeys

Because inns were rare, travelers were advised to carry essential supplies including an axe, fire-starting equipment, a cooking pot, and food for the entire duration of the journey. In the 16th and 17th centuries, many travelers were forced to camp under the open sky along riverbanks.

What it cost

Prices for clothes and livestock

While a sheep cost 20 kopecks, a pair of boots cost about 50 kopecks, which represented more than a month's salary for an ordinary worker.