Bogusław Radziwiłł

At the table

Staple foods in peasant diets

A peasant diet during this period was primarily based on rye bread, with adults consuming 0.6 to 0.9 kilograms daily, alongside porridge, peas, and cabbage.

What people wore

Expensive żupan costs for wealthy burghers

Wealthy townspeople owned multiple żupans, often valued between 20 and 50 złotys, with the most expensive pieces reaching up to 300 złotys.

Getting around

Winter travel equipment costs

In 1586, a villager purchased a transport sledge at the Ramygala market for ten Lithuanian groši, a common household tool for winter travel.

What it cost

Cost of poultry in Warsaw markets

In 1619 Warsaw, a well-fed capon cost 10 grosze, while a fat goose reached up to 20 grosze.

Music

Music in courts and churches

Wealthy households and courts often maintained their own musical ensembles, while churches relied on organists and vocal groups to enhance the solemnity of services.

Daily life

Parish schooling for children

Elementary parish schools were often taught by organists or bachelors, with children of both genders sometimes learning to read together. Classes were occasionally held in improvised locations, such as behind a cemetery or even in a stranger's house.