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Infante Fernando, Prince of Asturias

1850–1850

Born
11 Jul 1850, Madrid
Country of birth
Spain
Died
11 Jul 1850, Madrid
facts
8
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 · Madrid

    Death, Madrid

What was it like?

The world around Madrid, 1850: 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.

Infante was born the same year as Robert Louis Stevenson, Mihai Eminescu, and John Collier.

Known for

In their life

  • died on day of birth
Born the same year

  • Robert Louis Stevenson

    Scottish novelist and poet (1850–1894)

  • Mihai Eminescu

    Romanian poet, novelist and journalist (1850-1889)

  • John Collier

    British Pre-Raphaelite painter and author (1850-1934)

  • Guy de Maupassant

    French writer (1850-1893)

  • Karl Ferdinand Braun

    German physicist (1850–1918)

  • Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk

    Czechoslovak politician, statesman, sociologist and philosopher; first Czechoslovak president (1850–1937)

Fashion

Distinctive festive shawl for married women

Married women in the Sierra de Béjar region wore a green rectangular shoulder shawl known as a serenero, fastened with a silver brooch.

Popularity of head scarves in Navarra

Head scarves were the most common head covering for Navarrese women at mid-century, used by over 37% of the population, sometimes reaching up to 55% in specific areas.

Music
Around 1830–1849

Rise of regional dances and castanets

During the mid-19th century, popular regional dances like the bolero, cachucha, zapateado, and fandango gained significant prominence, becoming a source of national pride. Performers even traveled to Paris in the 1830s, where their performances, particularly the use of castanets, fascinated European audiences.

Dances performed at religious festivals

Dances such as the jota were performed at religious festivals to honor saints and request favors, blending Catholic rituals with local customs.

Getting around

Stagecoaches traveled 150 kilometers a day

By 1850, stagecoaches regularly covered about 150 kilometers (thirty leagues) in a single day through many hours of travel.

Sluggish rail journeys in Spain

Rail travel was often sluggish, with one passenger complaining that a 130-mile trip between Cordoba and Madrid took 12 hours.

Daily life

Buying fish for 2 reales

In Santoña, residents could buy fresh fish directly from fishing nets pulled to the shore for as little as 2 reales, although the catch size varied significantly.

Teachers' salaries and housing

Schoolteachers in Santoña were provided with housing in addition to their annual salaries, which were 400 ducados for the male teacher and 200 ducados for the female teacher.

Food

Gender inequality at the dinner table

In rural Spanish households during the mid-19th century, men often sat at the table to eat while women served them standing, frequently eating separately in the kitchen later.

High spending on alcohol by families

In some industrial mining regions, families spent over 25 percent of their total food budget on alcohol, specifically wine and aguardiente.

Prices and wages
Around 1856–1856

Cost of board and lodging

At the time, immigrant workers in Barcelona typically paid 5 to 6 reals for board and lodging.

Around 1856–1856

Wages for domestic servants in Barcelona

In 1856, domestic servants in Barcelona earned an average daily wage of 4.5 reals, often supplemented by meals valued at 1.5 reals.

Work

Common Jobs in 19th Century Spain

Most people worked in agriculture, while domestic service was the primary paid job for women. Factory work, especially in textiles, became increasingly common in urban centers like Barcelona.

The Harsh Realities of Working Days

Industrial workers often endured 12 to 14-hour days, six days a week, and children as young as six or seven were commonly sent to work. In some industries, workers performed a second shift called a velada that lasted until 8:00 p.m.

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.