Sigismund Siegfried, Count of Promnitz in Pless

What people wore

Women's Wardrobe Value

Women's clothing was often twice as expensive as men's, with a set including a shirt, skirt, and corset reaching a value of 52 gold coins.

Daily life

Schooling for non-noble children

In the second half of the 16th century, commoners' children frequently attended educational institutions, making up over half of the students at the Krakow Academy.

Work

Common roles for peasants and laborers

The majority of the population were peasants who worked their own plots while also performing mandatory labor, known as pańszczyzna, on their lord's estate. This labor requirement typically involved 1 to 3 days of work per week, often including manual labor or providing their own draught animals like horses and oxen for plowing.

Music

Instruments and Liturgical Singing

Bagpipes (duda), violins (skrypka), and various flutes and drums were common instruments played at inns and social gatherings. In church, Jesuit students regularly performed specific liturgical songs like Iam lucis orto sidere to open their classes.

At the table

Everyday drinks and home brewing

Beer was a primary everyday beverage, often brewed within the household using large tubs and cauldrons, while mead was also a common drink.

Getting around

Common modes of travel and transport

People traveled by foot, horseback, or in horse-drawn vehicles like simple carts and covered carriages; rivers were also used for transport.

What it cost

Wages and Purchasing Power in Kraków

An unskilled day laborer typically earned about 1.5 to 2 groschen per day. With this daily wage, one could buy about 7 kilograms of rye, 4.5 kilograms of wheat, or approximately 20 liters of beer.