Princess Maria Antonia Koháry, 2nd Princess of Koháry

Princess Mária Antónia Gabriella Koháry de Csábrág et Szitnya was a Hungarian noblewoman and the ancestor of several European monarchs. She was the sole heiress of the House of Koháry, which belonged to one of the three largest landowners in Hungary.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 of goods in 1797

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

Food prices in late 18th-century Hungary

In 1798, the authorities regulated prices, setting the cost of a pound (0.5 kg) of old bacon at 14 krajcár and new bacon at 9 krajcár. Beef cost 7.5 krajcár per pound in the city, while it was 4 krajcár in villages.

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.