Princess Elisabeth Sophie of Saxe-Altenburg

Elisabeth Sophie of Saxe-Altenburg was a princess of Saxe-Altenburg and by marriage a duchess of Saxe-Gotha.

Children’s rigid clothing standards

Children from poorer families typically wore only a long simple shirt, while children past the age of four were dressed in the same uncomfortable, restrictive clothing styles as their parents.

Exclusive aristocratic symbols

Wearing the color red or sporting a feather on a hat were considered highly elitist practices reserved for the aristocracy and prohibited for the rural population.

Noble dance music in Graz

Around 1618, nobility in Graz enjoyed ensemble dance music, such as the pieces in Posch's collection, often featuring four string instruments for feasts.

Domestic music in early 17th-century Austria

The Linzer Orgeltabulatur, compiled between 1611 and 1613, contains 108 pieces that were intended for domestic recreation on the regal, a small reed-organ, rather than for church use.

River travel was faster than land transport.

Travel by boat downstream was the fastest method, with one vessel type covering 450 kilometers from Regensburg to Vienna in at least a week. Boats could reach up to 150 kilometers in 24 hours under optimal downstream conditions.

Typical travel times and rest points.

A 115-kilometer journey between St. Pölten and St. Florian typically required 20 to 28 hours. Travelers often stayed at posting stations located about every 25 kilometers to rest and change horses.

Children treated as adults

Children were typically treated like small adults and were expected to emulate adult behavior as they learned crafts and chores from their parents.

Education for children

In rural areas, formal schooling was rare, whereas children of urban artisans and craftsmen received elementary education.

Common beer consumption

Beer was the standard daily beverage for most people, and by the 16th century, many taverns brewed their own dark, top-fermented beer. Wine was generally reserved for the wealthy or special occasions, as it was significantly more expensive.

Festive treats for the poor

Nonnenfürzle, a small, deep-fried pastry made from choux dough, was a rare and valued treat for the rural population on festive occasions. These delicacies were prepared in hot lard and rolled in sugar when enough money was available.

Daily wages for workers in 1625

In 1625, a male mason or carpenter in Zwettl earned 24 Kreuzer per day without food, while a day laborer earned 6 Kreuzer with food.

Candle Prices

In the early 17th century, one pound of tallow candles cost 6 Kreuzer, while a pound of table candles cost 28 Kreuzer.

Fraudulent practices in vineyard labour

Vineyard labourers sometimes committed a fraud called Bärenanbinden, where they would take a wage advance and then leave their job before the work was finished.

Mining work schedules and breaks

Miners in Schwaz worked twelve-hour shifts that included approximately four hours of breaks, resulting in an effective eight-hour workday.

People as the legs of communication

Most people could not read or write, so they relied on traveling journeymen, students, and peddlers to pass news by word of mouth. Peasants were often obligated by their feudal lords to carry messages and letters for them.

Postal delivery times and speed

Average travel times for letters included 12 to 15 days to reach Vienna and 20 to 25 days to reach Paris from Rome. Important political news could travel much faster via extraordinary couriers who would stop for nothing.