Archduke Charles Joseph of Austria

What people wore

Typical attire of peasant men

Ordinary Austrian peasant men wore short dark-gray jackets with clasps, red waistcoats with spherical metal buttons, and black leather breeches.

Getting around

Slow boat transport on the Inn River

In 1745, a boat trip on the Inn River between Kufstein and Hall took eight days, requiring 50 to 60 horses for towing.

At the table

Meager diet of the common people

The vast majority of the population ate very meagerly, relying on dishes made from legumes like peas, beans, and lentils, as well as porridges made from millet, oats, or barley. Meat was only rarely served to the common person.

Music

Violins replaced bagpipes in rural dances

Following the 17th century, the violin replaced the bagpipe and hurdy-gurdy as the primary instrument for village dance music in the region, influenced by courtly examples.

Daily life

Feeding children with bread-based pap

It was fashionable to feed young children a semisolid pap made of flour or bread cooked in water or milk to keep them quiet. Wealthy households often employed wet nurses and nannies to assist with the demands of child care.

What it cost

Vienna wages and meat prices 1749

By 1749, the daily wage for a worker in Vienna remained 15 Kreuzer, but the price of beef had risen to 8.93 Kreuzer per kilogram.