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Infanta María Luisa Isabel of Spain

1817–1818

Born
21 Aug 1817, Madrid
Country of birth
Spain
Died
1818, Royal Palace of Madrid
facts
9
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 · Madrid

    Birth, Madrid

  2. Died · Royal Palace of Madrid

    Death, Royal Palace of Madrid

What was it like?

The world around Madrid, 1817: 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.

Infanta was born the same year as Niels Gade, Fanny Cerrito, and Henry David Thoreau.

Known for

In their life

  • infant death
Born the same year

  • Niels Gade

    Danish composer, conductor, violinist, organist and teacher (1817–1890)

  • Fanny Cerrito

    Italian ballet dancer (1817–1909)

  • Henry David Thoreau

    American essayist, poet, and philosopher (1817–1862)

  • Theodor Mommsen

    German classical scholar and historian (1817–1903)

  • Baháʼu'lláh

    founder of the Bahá'í Faith (1817–1892)

  • Ivan Aivazovsky

    Russian marine painter (1817–1900)

Fashion

Displaying wealth on feast days

Women's wealth was displayed through their clothes, and it was said they would wear everything they owned on feast days, which occurred frequently throughout the year. Dressing up for public appearances was a major social priority, balancing modesty with the display of luxury.

Practical and professional male attire

Ordinary men frequently wore practical work clothes, such as the white shirt used even by cooks and professional garments like the apron for butchers or protective leg warmers for gardeners. While elite men moved toward sober suits, popular style featured embroidered waistcoats and the fajín sash.

Music

Fashionable instruments and popular musical styles

The guitar was a fashionable instrument, often used to accompany popular songs and dances like the fandango, seguidilla, and tirana.

Around 1811–1811

Boleras dominance in theater performances

During the 1811 theatrical season in Cádiz, boleras were the most performed dance, accounting for over 27 percent of all dance and song performances.

Getting around

Daily travel speeds on horseback

Postal services and private individuals traveling by horse in the early 19th century could reach average speeds of 36 to 48 kilometers per day. Under optimal conditions on well-maintained roads with fresh horses available at post houses, some could cover 50 to 55 kilometers daily.

Stagecoach travel revolutionizes Spanish transit

Organized stagecoach travel between major cities like Madrid, Barcelona, and Valencia began in 1816, significantly reducing travel times by the 1850s. For example, a journey from Madrid to Barcelona that took about 13 days in the 1820s was reduced to 3 to 4 days by the 1850s.

Daily life

Basic Kitchens and Shared Cooking Spaces

Kitchens were typically basic, often featuring a simple stove or brazier with few earthenware pots for cooking. Meals were frequently prepared in common pots, and specialized dining rooms were rare or considered an afterthought in many homes.

Scarcity and Management of Drinking Water

In coastal cities like Cadiz, drinking water was scarce and often brought in casks from nearby springs, requiring households to collect rainwater in cisterns. This water was meticulously managed for specific uses like cooking, drinking, or cleaning.

Food
Around 1819–1819

Bread as the primary staple food

Ordinary laborers aimed to consume around 1.5 pounds of bread per day, though shortages often forced them to eat less or use lower-quality grains.

Around 1819–1819

Daily essentials consumed most household income

In 1819, purchasing the daily essentials for a family—such as wheat, soap, and fuel—could consume over 68% of a day's income.

Prices and wages

Cost of meat and shoes

Beef and lamb cost approximately 2 reales per pound, while a pair of shoes typically cost around 16 reales.

Daily wages for Spanish laborers

In the early 19th century, common laborers typically earned about 4 reales per day, while skilled workers like carpenters or masons could earn between 6 and 11 reales.

Work

Agriculture dominated as the primary occupation

Agriculture was the most common activity, with most laborers working as day laborers (jornaleros) on land owned by a few wealthy landowners. Work often involved entire families, including children, in domestic, agricultural, and craft tasks.

Grueling work days and forced instability

Working days were typically grueling, ranging from sunrise to sunset in agriculture, while some urban industries demanded 12 to 13 hours or more. Workers often faced forced inactivity due to factors like weather or supply shortages, yet still sought additional subsistence work to survive.

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.