Prince Vittorio Amedeo Theodore of Savoy

Vittorio Amedeo Theodore of Savoy was a prince of Savoy and Duke of Aosta. He was born in the reign of his grandfather Victor Amadeus II, King of Sardinia.

Functional button decor

Men's coat sleeves were decorated with three vertical buttons, a feature originally intended to prevent lower-class soldiers from wiping their noses or faces on their sleeves.

Soldiers' burial jewelry

Soldiers in the Savoyard infantry frequently bought a gold ring-shaped earring with their first wages to pay for their burial if they were killed in battle.

The Baroque Hunting Horn in Savoy

The natural Orléans horn in D was a key instrument for royal hunts and court festivals, acting as a symbol of power and prestige.

The Zapato Gift Festival

The zapato was a specialized court festival held around Saint Nicholas Day, centered on the tradition of exchanging gifts.

Changing transport for mountain crossings

Traveling through the Alps meant changing modes of transport, as carriages could not cross the mountain passes; travelers often had to switch to mules or litters.

Most common travel was on foot

For most people in the Duchy of Savoy, the most common way to travel between towns was on foot.

Community-funded schooling for youth

Towns and private donors funded small colleges to educate local youth, and Thursday was officially designated as a day off for school children. Wealthy individuals often bequeathed property to support the education of youth in these communal institutions.

Narrow, deep urban housing arrangements

Urban houses were narrow, deep, and usually spanned a ground floor with a shop, one or two living levels, and an attic. A typical dwelling included two rooms per floor, often alternating between a street-facing kitchen and a back bedroom.

Drinking frugal wine substitutes

To save money, families often drank low-alcohol beverages like acquerello or mezzone instead of pure wine, which was largely sold for profit.

Polenta and herring meals

Ordinary farming families practiced extreme thrift, frequently eating polenta seasoned with a single herring to feed at least three people.

Controlled bread prices and production

City authorities in Turin strictly regulated the bread market, setting prices based on the cost of wheat and using official baking tests to determine production costs.

Worker daily wages in Turin

In the early 1700s, an experienced master mason in Turin earned approximately 24 soldi per day, while a general laborer or apprentice earned significantly less, often around 11 to 16 soldi.

Common Jobs and Unstable Daily Work

Many ordinary people in early 18th-century Turin worked as servants, day laborers, porters, or in the burgeoning textile industry. Manual laborers often had unstable employment, as they were frequently hired for single days or specific tasks rather than steady monthly wages.

Low Wages and High Food Costs

Wages in the early 1700s were often paid in small amounts of coins, such as a construction laborer receiving 16 soldi per day in 1720. A significant portion of a worker's daily pay was required just to buy enough grain for survival, making them highly vulnerable to price spikes.

Mail costs and alternative delivery methods

For letters sent along the Ligurian coast, couriers charged eight soldi per ounce to transport mail to destinations like Nice. Many people also bypassed official posts by using boat captains or travelers to carry letters at negotiated prices.

News traveled via established postal networks

During this period, news traveled along established routes where couriers coordinated with gazetteers. For example, by the early 18th century, news from Vienna could reach Naples in 16 days.