Duke Alexander of Württemberg

Duke Alexander of Württemberg was a member of the dynasty which ruled the German Kingdom of Württemberg. To marry a daughter of the French king, he agreed that their children would be raised in their mother's faith, thereby becoming ancestor of the Roman Catholic branch of his family.

Festive Wear: Black Skirts and Yellow Aprons

On festive days, women in Vidzeme frequently wore distinctive black skirts paired with yellow aprons, a tradition observed from the 1760s through the 1820s. These items were considered essential components of a formal peasant outfit, even though few examples have survived to the present day.

Handmade Pastalas and Woven Summer Shoes

Latvians wore handmade leather footwear called pastalas, which were simple, flat, sandal-like shoes made from a single piece of leather pulled together with strings. In the summer, peasants sometimes substituted these with shoes woven from flexible willow or hazel branches.

Humorous competitive singing at weddings

At weddings, guests engaged in apdziedasanas, a competitive and humorous form of antiphonal singing where opposing groups teased each other with improvised lyrics.

The traditional Latvian kokles zither

The kokles, a box zither with five or more strings, is considered the most characteristic Latvian instrument and is traditionally associated with divine or golden sounds.

Common modes of travel

Traveling by horse-drawn carriage was the most common method, and for those who could afford it, the diligence (stagecoach) was a popular option for longer routes.

Postal relay station network

The imperial postal system utilized a network of 3,950 relay stations where travelers could exchange horses and drivers, supported by over 50,000 horses across the empire.

Daily military food rations in 1809

In 1809, authorities increased the mandatory daily food ration for traveling recruits and soldiers to 18 kopecks, consisting of 3 pounds (about 1.23 kg) of bread and approximately 0.11 liters of cooked groats.

Hemp milk in winter

During winter, when cow's milk was unavailable, peasant families prepared hemp milk by grinding dried hemp seeds with a pestle and adding water.

Cost of Recruit Catering (1808)

In 1808, the daily food allowance for a recruit and his escort was set at 18 Kopecks, which covered three pounds of bread and a small amount of groats and salt.

Prices of Goods in Kurzeme (1812)

Based on 1812 data from the Kurzeme region, meat cost 0.50 Roubles per kilogram, while a shirt cost 3.00 Roubles and a pair of stockings cost 0.75 Roubles.

Mandatory Manorial Labor and Weekly Schedules

Peasants were required to provide labor to the manor, including bringing firewood, maintaining roads and bridges, and transporting manor crops to cities. Workers with horses had to arrive on Monday morning and were only dismissed on Saturday evening.

Strict Yearly Quotas for Peasants

Peasants were required to provide 31 3/4 axes of firewood to the manor annually, with each axe measuring 7 feet in length, height, and width. Owners also had to clear 25 to 30 carts of material from the manor's rural ditches every year.

News via Church and Circular Letters

In Livland, official news was delivered to Lutheran pastors, who announced it to parishioners in Latvian or Estonian during church services. Printed circular letters were then passed manually from manor to manor, with each owner signing to confirm receipt.

Postal Delivery Times and Delays

Mail between St. Petersburg and Moscow typically took 4 to 5 days, while international letters could take three weeks to a full month to arrive. Provincial areas often waited days or even a week longer than major cities to receive newspapers.