Charles II, Duke of Parma

Charles Louis was King of Etruria, Duke of Lucca, and Duke of Parma.

Essential outdoor attire for women

Regardless of social class, women wore a black basquiña skirt and a mantilla over their other clothes when going out in public or to church. These garments were considered so essential that they were present in every dowry, whether from a wealthy or modest family.

Clothing as a rare, valuable commodity

Clothing was a valuable asset; poor individuals often had only two outfits, and even rags full of lice were carefully recorded to be sold at public auctions after their death.

Public dance events with strict coordination

Public masked dances in Valencia in 1800 featured a 36-piece orchestra, with two dance masters using long white sticks to explain the steps.

Guitar and Castanets in Popular Life

The guitar was the most popular instrument among ordinary people, frequently used to accompany singing and dancing at home, in streets, and at festivals. Dancers often played simple castanets held in their palms to accompany themselves during performances.

Long carriage journeys required mule rest

In 1786, a four-passenger carriage pulled by seven mules took 14 days to travel from Barcelona to Madrid, including a mandatory day of rest for the mules in Zaragoza. Travelers often paid for coaches and used multiple mules to navigate the journey, as was customary for longer trips.

Carriages and mule travel options

A traveler seeking economy might hire a light carriage called a volante, paying about six to nine livres per day for the machine and a mule to travel eight to ten leagues daily. Alternatively, those crossing bandit-prone areas could ride on a mule with common carriers, occupying the space otherwise used for a bale of goods.

Cooking and food reliance in modest homes

Cooking in humble homes was typically performed in a multi-use kitchen area equipped with straw chairs, a wooden table, and basic cooking utensils. Bread and wine were the primary staples, and because many poor households lacked space or fuel, people often relied on buying prepared food from vendors, such as fried fish, fritters, or chickpeas.

Dark homes and low-quality lighting

Ordinary homes were dark and often lacked glass windows, which were expensive; many families covered small window openings with oiled paper for light. Illumination at night relied on candles, which in poor households were low-quality and produced unpleasant odors and health risks.

Diet of the Laboring Poor

Poor laborers often ate soup with oil or cornmeal porridge in the morning and legumes or salted sardines at midday. Wine was considered expensive, so these families typically drank it only on feast days, sometimes to excess.

Meat was for special occasions

Meat was consumed only on special occasions, as livestock like chickens were kept primarily for eggs and were only eaten when they were too old to lay.

Domestic servant wages and perks

In the late 18th century, a maid working for a family typically earned 24 reales per month in addition to her meals and chocolate.

Food prices for ordinary families

Food prices varied significantly; for example, a chicken cost 8 reales, while a pound of beef or mutton cost 2 reales.

Common jobs for ordinary people

Common jobs for ordinary people included day laborers, domestic servants, and various tradespeople like shoemakers, weavers, and masons. Women frequently worked as street vendors, laundresses, and embroidery workers to support their families.

Irregular working lives and low wages

Workers often faced irregular, intermittent schedules with jobs performed in the streets rather than fixed hours. A domestic servant might only receive eight maravedís daily for food, and some laborers consumed wine to cope with their difficult, insecure lives.