Janusz Radziwiłł

What people wore

Common peasant outer garments

Peasants commonly wore sermėgos, which were outer garments made of simple, often undyed, woolen cloth.

Daily life

Contrast in education by social class

Children of most peasants and burghers were illiterate, and primary schools were rare. In wealthy families, however, girls were often taught at home, and some magnate daughters achieved high literacy, with many learning Latin or German.

Work

Common jobs in the Grand Duchy

Most peasants worked as farmers, balancing their own household tasks with required labor on the lord's manor, known as corvée or tyaglo. Skilled tradespeople like smiths and carpenters also lived in rural areas to supply neighbors with essential tools and goods.

Music

Student dance parties and popular dances

Students at Jesuit colleges frequently organized dance parties to brighten their daily lives, enjoying dances like the Chorea, Paduana, Galiarda, and local favorites such as Witany and Tarapata.

At the table

Peasant diet staples and meat consumption

Peasants relied on a diet of rye grain, peas, vegetables, dairy products, and flitch, while meat was primarily consumed by wealthier families.

Getting around

Long travel times between towns

A journey from Vilnius to Kaunas, now covered in under 90 minutes, took an entire day by horse-drawn transport. Speeds for carts or walking were roughly 25 kilometers per day, while light horse travel reached about 55 kilometers per day.

What it cost

Food consumed most of a worker's wages

In the first half of the 17th century, daily nutrition costs rose significantly, consuming between 60% and 80% of a worker's total wages.