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Infante Augusto, Duke of Coimbra

1847–1889

Born
4 Nov 1847, Lisbon
Country of birth
Kingdom of Portugal, today Portugal
Died
26 Sep 1889, Lisbon
facts
7
sources
1
images and files
0

Facts and their sources

Tap a fact to see where it comes from.

A life in time

  1. Born · Lisbon

    Birth, Lisbon

  2. Died · Lisbon

    Death, Lisbon

What was it like?

The world around Lisbon, 1847: who ruled, who else was alive, how people lived. This is general history, not a record about the family, and every item shows where it comes from.

When Infante was born in 1847, Lisbon belonged to the Kingdom of Portugal, ruled by Maria II of Portugal.

Who ruled

  • Maria II of Portugal

    Monarch of Portugal, 1834–1853 · Kingdom of Portugal

  • Pedro V of Portugal

    Monarch of Portugal, 1853–1861 · Kingdom of Portugal

  • Luís I of Portugal

    Monarch of Portugal, 1861–1889 · Kingdom of Portugal

Born around the same time

  • Alexandre de Serpa Pinto

    1846 · Explorer and soldier (1846–1900)

  • Guerra Junqueiro

    1850 · Portuguese lawyer and writer (1850-1923)

  • Robert Louis Stevenson

    1850 · Scottish novelist and poet (1850–1894)

  • Mihai Eminescu

    1850 · Romanian poet, novelist and journalist (1850-1889)

  • Otto Lilienthal

    1848 · German aviation pioneer (1848-1896)

  • W. G. Grace

    1848 · English amateur cricketer (1848-1915)

Fashion

Gold jewelry in Madeiran peasant dress

In Madeira, well-to-do countrywomen were identified by gold chains, which they wrapped twice around their necks and fastened to the lower part of their bright, sometimes embroidered bodices. For men and women, fine linen shirts were fastened with buttons that were sometimes made of gold.

Inherited feast day suits for fishermen

Fishermen in the Beira Litoral region wore formal suits for feast days that were often passed down through generations, including coats and waistcoats from the 18th century, knee breeches, and silver shoe buckles. If they did not own these items, they would borrow them from friends or relatives.

Music

Music in the royal chapel

In the royal chapel, organists sometimes played airs that were considered too tender and voluptuous for the solemnity of church services. Religious ceremonies were spectacles that combined music, incense, and lights to deeply move the kneeling crowds.

The origins of Fado

Fado emerged in 19th-century Lisbon as a spontaneous music form sung in taverns, streets, and homes, often associated with marginalized figures like sailors and coachmen. Performers often improvised poetry about love and daily life, sometimes accompanied by guitars.

Getting around

Reliance on River and Coastal Travel

Due to the lack of adequate roads and public transport, river and coastal sea travel were essential, though they were often slow, uncomfortable, and risky. In one recorded instance, a boat trip between Alhandra and Lisbon stalled due to low tide and fog, forcing passengers to wait until midnight to reach their destination.

Surprising Mule Travel Hazards

Travelers often rode mules on pack saddles without stirrups, reins, or bits, allowing the animals to follow their own familiar paths between pine trees. Because the animals were trained to recognize taverns, they would often break into a gallop upon spotting one, forcing passengers to crouch to avoid hitting their heads on the door frames.

Daily life

Informal school-house learning environments

Schooling often took place in informal settings known as a school-house, where the teacher's living space was combined with classrooms. These spaces frequently retained a domestic atmosphere, sometimes using household objects alongside specialized items like Lancasterian slates.

Limited water, hygiene, and cooking facilities

Ordinary households lacked running water and sewage systems, often relying on expensive or difficult water collection methods; hygiene was rudimentary, and many urban dwellings were occupied by multiple families. Heating and lighting were limited, and in many popular homes, cooking was done over three stones rather than on stoves.

Food

Daily routines and tavern meals

Workers often started their day at 6 am with a mata-bicho, consisting of bread and a glass of aguardente, before heading to work. Frequent tavern meals were also common, where men might eat half a loaf of bread, some mackerel, and a quartilho (about 0.5 liters) of wine.

Staple foods of ordinary families

Ordinary families typically ate broa (corn bread), sardines, and soup made of vegetables, potatoes, and beans. Meat and fish were scarce, making sardines a staple for the poor, often rubbed against bread to add flavor.

Prices and wages
Around 1850–1874

Entrance cost to the Crystal Palace

While the bourgeoisie enjoyed Sunday leisure, those who could afford the entrance fee paid 50 réis to visit the Crystal Palace in Porto.

Around 1850–1874

Low wages for Porto factory workers

In Porto, factory workers earned an average of 420 réis per day in the late 19th century, while young female workers often received only about 40 réis, which was not enough to purchase a single kilogram of bread.

Work

Long working hours and child labor

Agricultural work typically lasted from sunrise to sunset, often spanning sixteen hours during the long summer days. Peasants relied on manual labor with tools like flails for threshing, and children began working at very early ages, such as guiding ox-carts or herding animals.

Wages and daily sustenance of laborers

Daily wages for laborers varied significantly by region and task, with a Douro day laborer earning 200 réis and a Lisbon mason earning 700 réis. Workers often had to provide their own food, typically consisting of black bread, olives, and salted cod, while those on seasonal contracts might sleep in bare communal sheds.

Family

Parents

Ancestors and children

Open the full tree

Four generations back to the right, the children to the left. The number beside a child counts the generations of descendants known after them.