Philip III of Spain

Philip III was King of Spain and Portugal during the period known as the Iberian Union, reigning from 1598 until his death in 1621. He was also King of Naples and Sicily, Duke of Milan, and Lord of the Seventeen Provinces. A member of the House of Habsburg, he was born in Madrid to King Philip II of Spain and his fourth wife, Anna of Austria.

Clothing as a valuable commodity

For many common people, clothing was so valuable that it was reused for years, listed in wills, and sometimes even used to pay funeral debts.

Daily and feast day clothing

Humble women often possessed only two outfits: one for daily chores and another specifically reserved for Sundays or feast days.

Lascivious street dances

Public dances like the zarabanda and chacona were performed in streets to the sound of the guitar, despite being criticized by authorities as lascivious.

Religious villancicos in church

During religious festivals like Corpus Christi, church music featured villancicos sung in the vernacular language accompanied by multiple choirs and instruments.

Common travel methods and poor roads

During the late 16th century, people typically traveled on foot, by horse, or by mule, while wagons and carriages were rare, often uncomfortable, and sometimes prohibited for moral or social reasons. Transport was frequently easier on the backs of beasts than on wheels due to the poor quality of the roads.

Difficult river crossings and extra taxes

Crossing rivers was difficult because of few bridges, forcing travelers to use small boats where they might wait hours to transport a single carriage or group of people. Boatmen charged a specific tax called barcaje for these crossings.

Daily water collection at public fountains

Most people fetched water daily from the nearest public fountain because owning a private well was a rare luxury. Inside homes, water was typically stored in clay jars known as bucaros or large ceramic vessels.

Eating habits without tables or forks

Kitchens lacked designated tables, so meals were eaten using wooden spoons while sitting on benches or even on the floor. Food was often handled with the fingers, as forks were not yet in general use and were sometimes viewed as dangerous or unrefined.

Aloeja and tavern drinks

A popular tavern drink was aloja, made rudimentarily from the fruits of the algarrobo and served in taverns.

Bread and cheap cheese shaped meals

For ordinary people, bread was the basic staple; descriptions of popular diets emphasize pan and modest additions like cheese, such as “mendrugos de pan, queso y cebolla.”

Daily wage of a laborer

In the 1580s and 1590s, an unskilled day laborer typically earned about 102 maravedís per day.

Regulated seasonal wages

In 1588, the council of Cifuentes set wage caps for plowmen and pruners ranging from 34 maravedís to 68 maravedís depending on the season.

A violent strike in Córdoba, 1595

In 1595, agricultural workers in Córdoba went on strike for higher wages and shorter hours; the city responded by arresting strikers and sentencing them to four hours in the pillory and ten days in jail.

Agricultural labor and regulated daily wages

Many ordinary people were agricultural day laborers who worked from sunrise to sunset, often under strict municipal wage caps. In 1588, for example, Cifuentes set daily wages between 1 and 2 reales depending on the season.

Expensive extraordinary couriers

Before regular routes were available, sending a letter required hiring an expensive extraordinary courier who charged for the entire journey, including their own meals and lodging.

Weekly Mail Between Seville and Medina

From 1560, a weekly ordinary mail service ran between Seville and Medina del Campo, typically costing one real per letter. Transit usually took about eight days, though it could range between seven and fifteen days depending on conditions.