Carlos de Borbón y Austria-Este

Don Carlos de Borbón y Austria-Este was the Carlist claimant to the throne of Spain as Carlos VII from 1868, and holder of the Legitimist claim to the throne of France under the name Charles XI after the death of his father in 1887.

Festive and daily women's clothing

For feast days, women wore grey jackets adorned with gold or silver velvet ribbons around the neck and lapels, alongside skirts, aprons, and sometimes belts made from tin or yellow wire. Their everyday garments were usually produced at home from coarse linen or wool, while festive items were bought or made from finer fabrics like silk or printed cotton.

Traditional attire for ordinary men

In the first half of the 19th century, men typically wore home-made wool or linen jackets, short vests with buckles, and knee-length linen trousers, often pairing them with tall boots that had funnel-shaped cuffs. Their outfit was completed by a wide-brimmed round hat with a low crown.

Ritual dancing under the linden tree

In the Gail Valley, the parish fair was centered around a linden tree, where a ritual dance called visoki rej was performed to alternating instrumental music and singing.

Traditional Resijan instruments

Resijan musicians played a custom violin called a cytira with a lowered bridge, accompanied by a búunkula, a type of adapted cello or small contrabass.

Steamboat Travel on the Ljubljanica River

In 1840, the steamboat Archduke John began operating on the Ljubljanica River, drastically cutting the travel time between Ljubljana and Vrhnika from the 8 to 10 hours required by traditional boatmen to just 2 hours and 45 minutes. Despite this technological leap, the steamer was withdrawn after ten years due to frequent accidents.

Travel by Horse-Drawn Mail Coaches

Between 1825 and 1849, people in the region traveled between towns using horse-drawn mail coaches known as Eilwagen, which replaced slower, less comfortable carriages. These coaches, which carried passengers, mail, and money, featured padded interiors and could seat 4 to 12 people.

Irregular school attendance for children

Compulsory primary education was officially introduced, but attendance was often irregular as children were needed for seasonal farm work, especially in winter. Rural children who did not attend state schools often received basic instruction in reading and arithmetic at the local parish house.

Smoky homes without chimneys

In the first half of the 19th century, many rural houses lacked chimneys and proper ceilings to separate the attic from living areas, leaving them smoky and at high risk of fire. Households often relied on open hearths, with some families even using wooden structures plastered with mud above the fire to catch sparks.

Honey and herbs for flavorings

Honey was the primary sweetener used by ordinary people, as sugar was scarce and expensive, and salt was also used sparingly because it had to be purchased. Meals were often flavored with vinegar, homegrown onions, garlic, or other garden herbs to improve their taste.

Meat was a rare and preserved luxury

Meat was a rare treat for ordinary peasants, as they typically sold or gave away high-quality livestock like poultry and pork as taxes or market goods. Families often preserved only lower-quality cuts, such as trotters or bones, which were then stored in cellars to be eaten sparingly during hard labor or celebrations.

Clothing provided by masters

Due to low wages, rural servants often could not afford to buy their own shoes or clothing. Instead, they were typically provided with essential garments and footwear by their masters, sometimes receiving a pair of shoes as a Christmas gift.

Memorable struggle with hunger and rare feasts

Peasant families often faced extreme scarcity, and in severe years, some individuals suffered from hunger or even died. In better times, festive meals like those for weddings or fairs provided rare occasions to eat well and drink wine.

Twelve-hour shifts in sawmills

Lumber and sawmill workers operated machines like the venetian saws nearly continuously throughout the day in two 12-hour shifts.