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Alajos Skublics

1791–1835

Born
1791, Zalabesenyő
Country of birth
Hungary
Died
20 Apr 1835, Zalabesenyő
facts
5
sources
1
images and files
0

Facts and their sources

Tap a fact to see where it comes from.

  • Birth1791, ZalabesenyőProbable1 source
  • Death20 Apr 1835, ZalabesenyőProbable1 source

A life in time

  1. Born · Zalabesenyő

    Birth, Zalabesenyő

  2. Child born: Laura Skublics

    Birth, Zalabesenyő

  3. Died · Zalabesenyő

    Death, Zalabesenyő

What was it like?

The world around Zalabesenyő, 1791: who ruled, who else was alive, how people lived. This is general history, not a record about the family, and every item shows where it comes from.

Alajos was born around the same time as Ferdinand Raimund, Nicola Vaccai, and Luigi Legnani.

Born around the same time

  • Ferdinand Raimund

    1790 · Austrian dramatist, actor and writer (1790-1836)

  • Nicola Vaccai

    1790 · Italian composer (1790-1848)

  • Luigi Legnani

    1790 · Italian musician (1790-1877)

  • John Tyler

    1790 · president of the United States from 1841 to 1845

  • Alphonse de Lamartine

    1790 · French author, poet and statesman (1790-1869)

  • Jean-François Champollion

    1790 · French classical scholar (1790-1832)

Fashion
Around 1790–1790

Patriotic fashion protest around 1790

Around 1790, Hungarian national dress made a sudden comeback as a patriotic statement, with people stripping Western-style clothing off those seen wearing it in public.

Large pearl hat decorations for young men

In Transylvania, young men pinned a pearl bouquet (gyöngyös bokréta) on their hats that was often so large it pulled the hat to the side.

Music

Peasant orchestras at royal celebrations

At large festivities like those for Maria Theresa in 1773, over a thousand peasants danced to music provided by their own orchestras.

Popular instruments for home music

Keyboard instruments, including the clavecin and later the piano, were popular for domestic music-making among the nobility and bourgeoisie.

Getting around

Fast coach travel with the gyorsparaszt

Some travelers used a fast coach known as the gyorsparaszt, which could reach speeds of 12-13 km/h on ordinary wagons, completing the trip from Buda to Vienna in just one day and one night. This method sacrificed comfort, as these were often open vehicles on undeveloped roads.

The Buda to Vienna weekly diligence service

Between 1775 and 1799, the state-operated diligence (a fast postcoach) traveled between Buda and Vienna once a week, taking three days to complete the journey. The 2 gold forint ticket price included accommodation and three daily meals.

Daily life

Limited Hygiene and Sanitation Practices

Bathing was rare, and people typically washed their face and hands using a bowl and carafe. Toilets were uncommon in private town dwellings, and chamber pots were standard for physiological needs, often being emptied out of windows.

Around 1800–1824

Kitchen hearth and essential staples

Cooking was centered around a large open brick stove with an overhanging chimney, where an enormous kettle was suspended over a fire fueled by wood, turf, or peat. Lard and melted butter were essential staples for cooking national dishes, and households often kept large supplies of these fats in their private storehouses.

Food

Swamp turtles as everyday food

Swamp turtles were considered a normal, common food item and were sometimes served as a delicacy, costing 1.5 florins for two pairs.

The omnipresence of wine

Wine was an omnipresent part of everyday life for common people in Hungary during the late eighteenth century.

Prices and wages

Unusual delicacies in late 18th-century diet

In the late 18th century, swamp turtles were considered standard food; a record from the period shows a price of 1 forint and 50 krajcár paid for two pairs of turtles. Additionally, officials purchased 1,700 river crayfish on the same day as part of their diet.

Around 1797–1797

Prices of goods in 1797

In 1797, a pair of boots cost 4 or 5 márjás, while a fat pig cost 12 forints.

Work

Agricultural Work Dominated Life

Most people in late 18th-century Hungary were agricultural workers, including serfs, cottars, and share labourers who lived and worked in rural areas. Many families combined farming with cottage industries like weaving or spinning to survive.

Share Harvesters' Wages and Food

Share harvesters in the 18th century typically received a sixth or seventh portion of the crop as payment for their hard labour. To ensure they were fed, these labourers often preferred payment in kind—such as bread, bacon, and brandy—over cooked meals provided by estates, as it prevented cheating.

News and letters

Letters without addresses

Until the 18th century, letters were not addressed; they were folded so the recipient's name was visible on the outside, often causing postmasters to open them to determine the destination.

Postal fees by weight

Postal fees were calculated based on weight in Austrian Pounds, with official mail sent between government offices often being postage-free.

Family

Children

Ancestors and children

Open the full tree

Four generations back to the right, the children to the left. The number beside a child counts the generations of descendants known after them.