Margaret Paleologa

What people wore

Lavish gift of a priestly vestment

In 1514, a diplomatic gift to the Pope included a priestly vestment embroidered with pearls and precious stones, valued at over 25,000 ducats.

Daily life

Practical schooling and early childhood guidance

Merchant children attended abacus schools that taught reading, writing, and arithmetic in a practical way specifically for trade. By age four or five, play toys like swords and hobby horses were used to direct children toward their future societal roles.

Work

Common Jobs in the Wool Industry

The wool industry was the primary employer in Florence, relying on many unskilled laborers known as the Ciompi who prepared raw wool in merchant-owned workshops. Other common roles included silk production, construction, and various specialized artisanal trades.

Music

Popular Carnival Songs and Street Performances

Ordinary people in Florence during the early 16th century enjoyed carnival songs, which were popular secular tunes performed during processions, parades, and street revelry. These songs often featured witty texts about trade guilds or products, such as the Song of the Chimney Sweepers, and were sung by costumed groups.

At the table

Monotonous diet for poor Florentines

Ordinary families had a monotonous diet based on unsalted bread, which was supplemented with inexpensive vegetables such as onions, fava beans, and black kale, or legumes instead of meat.

Getting around

Value of pack animals in 1387

During the Renaissance, specialized mules were valued; a 1387 document records a mule's worth at 6.10 libbre, compared to 1.76 libbre for a donkey.

What it cost

Food costs and extreme shortages

Food prices fluctuated greatly, with meat like veal costing 3 soldi per pound in stable times, but skyrocketing during shortages when even mice were sometimes sold as food.