Afonso, Prince of Portugal

Getting around

Daily Travel Distances

A hurried travel party on horseback could cover approximately 40 kilometers per day, though this distance was significantly reduced if the animals used for traction were oxen.

What it cost

Price of poultry and meat luxury

In 1499, a chicken was priced at 30 réis, and meat consumption was generally considered a luxury that was not within everyone's reach.

What people wore

Commoner Clothing in Everyday Life

Ordinary people wore dark-colored clothing made of coarse, patched fabrics. Men wore woolen tunics, coarse leggings, and felt or cloth hats.

Daily life

Multifunctional living in cramped urban homes

In cities like Lisbon, many modest households lived in narrow, rented rooms where cooking, sleeping, and storage were all compressed into one space. These homes often used wooden partitions, curtains, and benches to make rooms serve multiple purposes throughout the day.

Work

Memorable fact: The sea chest

Sailors often stored their precious belongings, such as navigational tools or pewter utensils, in a shared wooden sea chest that was passed down through generations.

Music

Common musical instruments in 16th-century Portugal

Common musical instruments in Portugal before 1500 included cordophones like lutes and harps, wind instruments such as flutes, bagpipes, and organs, and percussion like tambourines and adufes. Many instruments were used in secular and religious contexts, though some were banned from religious ceremonies by the church.

At the table

Simple fare for ordinary Portuguese families

Ordinary families often ate light meals of fruit and bread, or pottages of cereals and vegetables, saving meat and sweets for festive days. In 1422, a local council purchased farteis, which were cakes made with flour, eggs, butter, and sometimes almonds, for community celebrations.