Isabel de la Cueva y Castilla

What people wore

Men's Hairstyles and Layered Robes

Men often grew long beards and hair, sometimes styling the tips into curls. Clothing could be layered, with high-status individuals wearing a pellizón, which was a long robe with wide, loose sleeves that could be knotted at the ends.

Daily life

Domestic heating and cleaning methods

Households used braziers to heat laundry and water for cleaning, as homes lacked modern amenities like running water.

Work

Agricultural life and self-sufficiency

About 80 percent of Navarre's population relied on agriculture, with most households aiming for self-sufficiency. Two-thirds of farmers combined agricultural work with artisan activities.

Music

Cathedral music and instrument maintenance

In the Pamplona Cathedral during the early 16th century, musicians such as chirimia players were officially employed, and payments for instrument maintenance, like repairing a bajon, were recorded in ducats.

At the table

Large feasts and local wine consumption

Ordinary people often held large feasts after mass, consuming lamb, veal, and wine from local towns like Artajona and Olite. These communal meals were so common that they were eventually restricted by law in 1757 to prevent excessive spending and disorder.

Getting around

Limited river navigation

Rivers in the region were generally not navigable, except for the Ebro, where small boats transported goods like grain, wine, and iron.

What it cost

Labor Wages in Construction Projects

For construction projects like fortification, labor wages accounted for between 65 and 100 percent of total costs.