Infante Alexandre of Portugal

Infante Alexandre of Portugal was a Portuguese infante, the sixth and last child of King John V of Portugal and his wife Maria Anna of Austria.

Maintaining appearances with limited clothing

Social strivers would meticulously maintain their limited clothing, washing and soaping collars and cuffs, and using animal fat to keep shoes looking shiny even when the soles were worn through. They also applied powders to their hats to mask age and wear, aiming to project an appearance of higher status.

Simple and borrowed festive wear for fishermen

Fishermen wore simple, uniform clothing including linen drawers, a woolen hat, and a sleeveless vest, adding a jacket only in cold weather. On feast days, they upgraded to a suit with silver shoe buckles and striped cotton stockings, often borrowed from relatives if they did not own one.

Instruments in royal and public life

Musicians used wind and percussion instruments, such as trumpets, shawms (charamelas), and timbales, to provide harmonic accompaniment for court ceremonies and public processions. These ensembles played at royal river excursions on the Tagus and during festive street celebrations.

Villancicos in church and festivals

Villancicos, which often depicted characters like sailors, soldiers, slaves, and gypsies, were sung during major church feasts such as Christmas and Epiphany. They incorporated theatrical elements with costumes, gestures, and simulated dances representing peasants and various cultural groups.

Daily travel distances were limited

A standard daily distance for a hurried group with horses was about 40 kilometers, though speeds were much lower if using oxen.

Main modes of transport were primitive

During this period, most people traveled on foot, on horseback, on mules, or by boat, as there were no railways or regular stagecoach lines.

Drinking Water Vessels

The Portuguese enjoyed drinking water from red clay púcaros from Estremoz, which were very light and scented with turpentine.

Unreliable Water Access for Households

In Lisbon, water was generally abundant, but private wells could suddenly run dry if a neighbor dug a deeper well at a lower level.

Bread used as a thickener

To thicken broths and stews, a common practice was using bread; for instance, a fish stuffing recipe included five réis of breadcrumbs.

Daily diet of a fieldworker

A 17th-century fieldworker could consume up to 1 kilogram of bread daily, along with broth, vegetables, small amounts of meat or fish, and significant quantities of wine.

Property taxes for Arraiolos farmers

In 1715, "seareiros" (tenant farmers) in Arraiolos were assigned a property tax of 1,500 réis for their land, with an additional 200 réis for one individual's production equipment.

Bread prices and weight regulation

In the 18th century, the price of bread was tied to its weight. When the price of wheat reached 40 réis per arrátel, a loaf of bread cost 10 réis, but during shortages, the bread weight was reduced to maintain affordability.

Day labor in agriculture was most common

Most ordinary people worked as day laborers in agriculture, performing tasks like olive harvesting, weeding, and carrying heavy loads from dawn until dusk.

Enslaved women performed essential cleaning work

Enslaved women in Lisbon, known as calhandreiras, performed the exhausting task of carrying heavy ceramic pots of household rubbish and dirty water to the river every morning.