Infante Fernando of Austria

At the table

Staple diet of ordinary families

For ordinary people, the diet was based on bread made from rye, wheat, or millet, often accompanied by soup, legumes, or a small portion of fatback. Meat was a rare luxury for common families, typically reserved for special occasions.

What people wore

Everyday peasant attire staples

Peasant women typically wore a linen or hemp shirt and bodice under a saya (skirt) and a black woolen mantelo, while men wore knee-length breeches and coarse buriel jackets.

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

Price of poultry and eggs

In the 16th century, a hen cost 2 reales, while a single egg was priced at 3 maravedís.

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.

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.