Marie of Prussia, Margravine of Brandenburg-Bayreuth

Getting around

Challenging roads and poor lodging conditions

Deep, sandy, or muddy roads often forced travelers to stop frequently, and horses could become exhausted by heat and insects, necessitating breaks until temperatures dropped. Some travelers carried their own beds to ensure comfort when staying in poor-quality wayside inns.

Daily life

Seasonal schooling for children

Education was seasonal because children were needed for farm work, so classes were mostly held in winter. Parents were sometimes threatened with a fine of one pound of wax if they failed to send their children to school.

What people wore

Expensive Fur Coats and Livestock Prices

Wealthier peasants in the 16th century wore expensive sheepskin coats trimmed with beaver fur and suede, costing as much as 1.5 kopa grossi, while basic sheepskin coats cost 40 grossi. For context, a high-quality sermėga (coat) priced at 40 grossi was equivalent to the cost of two pigs or two sheep.

Music

Loud peasant bagpipes at fairs

Peasants at parish fairs in the 16th century used loud bagpipes to celebrate, which could be heard from over a mile away.

At the table

Honey cakes shaped like animals and people

In the winter of 1397, citizens in Königsberg celebrated the lifting of the plague by baking honey cakes shaped like deer, rabbits, and people, which were hardened on warm oven tiles.