Tadea of Austria

At the table

Meat reserved for special celebrations

Meat was reserved for special occasions like holidays, and when a family slaughtered a pig, they typically offered blood sausage to neighbors as a gesture of friendship.

What people wore

The trend of men wearing beards

While once clean-shaven faces were common, by the mid-sixteenth century, about ninety-five out of every hundred Florentine men adopted the trend of wearing beards, which was considered more masculine. Those who chose to remain clean-shaven were often mocked as old-fashioned and labeled with the derisive term zazzeroni.

Getting around

Pack animals dominated 16th-century travel

In the 16th century, travel across mountain routes was done exclusively by pack animals like mules, as carriages could not navigate the terrain. Large carts used on flat roads were often pulled by oxen, while carriages were rare and uncomfortable, lacking suspension.

What it cost

Cost of footwear

While basic shoes were affordable at around 2 soldi, a pair of nice shoes could cost as much as 2 florins, equivalent to about 140 soldi.

Music

Civic wind ensembles played for celebrations

Civic wind bands known as pifferi, typically consisting of shawms and trombones, provided music for major public ceremonies, banquets, and religious festivals.

Daily life

Dining arrangements in the home

Florentine homes lacked dedicated dining rooms; instead, tables were set up wherever convenient, such as in front of a fireplace during winter. Food was passed to diners who sat only on one side of the table.