Cosimo III de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany

At the table

The humble paniccio dish

In the Novara countryside during the 17th century, ordinary families relied on paniccio, a dish made with beans, as a staple food.

What people wore

Courtly feast day costumes featured exotic feathers

For special feast day performances at court, such as those in the 1640s, noble performers wore intricate costumes featuring exotic elements like heron feathers, which were a popular decorative motif.

Getting around

Alpine Travel and Porter Fees

Crossing the Alps required changing transport methods, where travelers sometimes hired specialized porters to carry them in sedan chairs across steep, non-carriageable mountain passes for a fee of one Spanish pistol per person.

What it cost

High salt costs impacted livestock economy

Salt was so expensive in the Duchy of Savoy that officials feared high prices ruined households and discouraged farmers from giving necessary portions to their cattle. This high cost of salt negatively affected milk, cheese, and meat production.

Music

Zither playing in 1645 festival

At the 1645 court festival in Rivoli, musicians representing the Monferrato region played the zither and danced in the Italian style.

Daily life

Village education and private school funding

At the village level, some instruction was provided by local priests, while towns paid for schoolmasters and some wealthy individuals funded private colleges to train youth.