Charles II of Spain

Charles II was King of Spain from 1665 to 1700. The last monarch from the House of Habsburg, which had ruled Spain since 1516, his death without children resulted in the 1701 to 1714 War of the Spanish Succession.

Cost of fashionable accessories in reales

In 1680, a vara (roughly 84 cm) of smoke-colored fabric for a mantle was valued at seven and a half reales, while a luxurious fan could cost as much as six escudos. These prices illustrate the significant investment required for fashionable accessories, which were sometimes bought at the expense of necessities like basic clothing for the poor.

The extreme volume of the guardainfante

Women used a wire or wicker frame called a guardainfante to puff out their skirts, a trend so popular that it reached extreme sizes, sometimes making it difficult for two people to pass through a space. Although a 1639 law restricted this style, it remained widely accepted and worn across various social sectors throughout the mid-17th century.

Church music featured multi-choir villancicos

Religious festivals like Corpus Christi featured elaborate musical performances in churches, including villancicos sung by multiple choirs accompanied by instruments.

Provocative dances dominated social life

Popular, provocative dances like the zarabanda and chacona originated in the streets and were often criticized for their lascivious nature, yet they remained immensely popular.

Carriage travel and incidents in mid-17th century Madrid

Travel by carriage was largely reserved for the wealthy or noble; these vehicles were uncomfortable as they lacked suspension and had their body fixed to the wheel axles. Traffic congestion in Madrid was severe enough that in January 1655, a dispute over a coach accident led an offended noble to attack the governor's mules with a sword.

Common modes of travel in mid-17th century Spain

During the mid-17th century, ordinary people primarily traveled on foot or horseback. Specialized transport like litters, pulled by mules, or human-powered sedan chairs were used in exceptional cases.

Home-based education and skills training

Education for children was primarily home-based, where they acquired basic life skills, religious practices, and labor training from their families.

Waste management and public hygiene regulations

Many ordinary homes lacked indoor toilets, forcing residents to throw human waste into the streets at night, which was punishable by fines and exile.

Meat was a rare luxury

Meat was a luxury for ordinary people, with beef being preferred because it was one-third cheaper than mutton. Many families survived on a mostly vegetarian diet of bread, legumes, and vegetables.

Subsisting on chestnuts and herbs

In some regions, such as Asturias, when grain was scarce, families subsisted for six or more months a year on chestnuts, nuts, and wild herbs. These natural resources were essential for survival when bread, the dietary staple, was unavailable.

Cost of bread and beef in 1665

In 1665, a pound of bread cost 37.6 maravedíes, while a kilogram of beef cost 52 maravedíes.

Wages and benefits in diverse roles

Field laborers earned between 30 maravedíes and 3.5 reales per day, while some apprentices had contracts specifying they would earn 10 reales per month after four years of training. Household servants received food, drink, a bed, and washed clothes in addition to annual salaries that could reach 473 reales.

Young girls in olive harvesting crews

The most frequent age for a girl to start working as an olive picker was 13 years old, and some started as young as 6. Late marriage at age 24 was common for these workers, compared to those who did not participate in this labor market.

Secret letters hidden in jars and water

To ensure delivery of urgent or secret messages, people sometimes concealed letters inside objects like jars of preserves or hid them inside water jugs, attaching them to stones so they would sink if lost.

Seville to Medina mail took eight days

Between 1560 and 1606, mail between Seville and Medina del Campo was carried by a weekly ordinary postal service, typically taking no more than eight days, though it could take up to fifteen days. The cost for sending each letter was one real.