Václav Eusebius František, Prince of Lobkowicz

Václav Eusebius František, Prince of Lobkowicz was a Bohemian nobleman, military leader and diplomat. He was member of the Lobkowicz family and after 1646, he was Duke of Sagan.

Festive clothing as valuable family inheritance

For many, festive clothing was a significant asset, carefully maintained so it could be sold when necessary or passed down as an inheritance to descendants. Producing and caring for these garments within the household was a primary daily responsibility for women.

Functional linen undergarments and V-shaped silhouettes

Ordinary people wore linen shirts as their base layer, which served as both underwear and nightwear. For both men and women, clothing aimed to create a fashionable V-shaped silhouette by using diagonal seams and higher waistlines.

Common home instruments for burghers

Prague burghers often owned lutes or keyboard instruments like clavichords and virginals to perform polyphonic music at home.

Musical training in rural schools

In rural Jesuit parish schools, students were taught to play instruments including the violin, oboe, and bassoon as part of their education.

Mules and expensive travel costs

For heavy cargo, people used mule caravans or horse-drawn wagons, while high-ranking individuals occasionally traveled in a 'senfta' or carrying bed, sometimes transported by mules. Transportation was costly, with a one-way trip from Dvůr Králové to Prague costing about 60 groschen in total for a passenger, including tips and food.

Slow journeys and safety risks

Travel was slow; a journey by carriage from Kutná Hora to Vienna in 1621 took eight days, while a shorter trip from Prague to Dresden could take several days. Safety was a major concern, as travelers frequently faced the threat of robbery on these poorly maintained routes.

Inexpensive wooden torchlights for light

Because candles and lamps were expensive, families used simple wooden torchlights for illumination, which burned for only about ten minutes and required constant replacement. Children were responsible for managing the light and placing the spent end into a vessel of water to prevent fires.

Large families and clever sleeping arrangements

Families often had ten to fourteen children, who commonly slept on benches with special safety backs to prevent falling.

Carp as a common fish dish

Due to an extensive pond system in South Bohemia, carp was a popular and accessible fish that frequently replaced meat during religious fast days.

Daily meal timing

Dining routines were synchronized with the sun; breakfast was eaten two hours earlier than today, and lunch was typically served around 10:00 a.m.

Relative cost of footwear and meat

The price of a pair of shoes rose significantly, and in the years 1618–1620, it cost the same as 5.6 kg of meat.

Purchasing power plummeted during the price revolution

Between 1543 and the period 1618-1620, the cost of living surged, causing the purchasing power of a thaler to drop from 30 kg of meat to only 5.6 kg.

Common occupations in the Bohemian lands

Common non-agricultural jobs included bakers, butchers, smiths, tanners, millers, tailors, weavers, and miners, alongside day laborers who relied on wages to survive.

The rhythm of the working day

Work was often physically demanding and seasonal, such as clearing ice from mill wheels in winter or threshing grain. Day laborers were frequently paid on Saturdays, and wages were sometimes tied to specific tasks like the 12th or 15th bushel of output.

Delivery speeds varied by urgency

While average travel times were slower, extraordinary couriers could travel at high speeds for urgent matters, such as delivering news of Henri IV's 1610 assassination to Venice in just 8 days. Standard mail to Vienna from distant regions typically took 12 to 15 days.

Informal travel and messenger networks

Before postal services reached every area, ordinary people often relied on informal messengers or travelers who carried letters along their routes. Travelers would meet at roadside inns to exchange news, directions, and find companions for safety.