Louise of Orléans

Louise of Orléans was the first Queen of the Belgians as the second wife of King Leopold I from their marriage on 9 August 1832 until her death in 1850. She was the second child and eldest daughter of the French king Louis Philippe I and his wife, Maria Amalia of the Two Sicilies. Louise rarely participated in public representation, but acted as the political adviser of her spouse.

Cost of wedding attire

A wedding dress for an ordinary person usually cost up to 30 ducats, though wealthy families could spend up to 300 ducats on garments with gold and silver fabrics.

Traditional women's accessories

Women often wore lace-trimmed aprons and high-heeled pointed shoes, typically in pink or light blue, fastened with silver buckles. Their hair was usually braided and collected at the nape of the neck, often decorated with ribbons and pins.

Instruments of home and street music

Guitars and violins were common in Neapolitan homes and were used by street musicians for serenades, especially after midnight. Musicians also sold small instruments like tambourines, guitars, and crotali at festivals.

Music during religious festival processions

Religious processions often featured musicians, including porters who danced while carrying heavy barrels of wine on their shoulders to the sound of a distant orchestra.

The Lettiga: A Mule-Drawn Carriage

The lettiga, a national carriage suspended between two mules, was a common way to travel through regions lacking roads suitable for wheeled vehicles. It was notoriously fatiguing and slow, moving at an average speed of about three miles per hour.

Traveling the Difficult Southern Roads

In regions like Calabria, carriages were often impractical due to poor road conditions, forcing travelers to rely on mules or simple calessos for transport. A journey of roughly 500 km from southern Calabria to Naples was considered a major undertaking with no clear travel times advised.

Gender-restricted education controlled by the Church

There was no compulsory schooling, and education was heavily influenced by the Church, with 30 articles regulating male education versus only 22 for females. While boys could study reading, writing, and arithmetic, girls' education was largely restricted to domestic arts, catechism, and religious duties.

Limited water and sanitation infrastructure

Public infrastructure for water was inadequate, leading households to rely on cisterns or local wells, with communities strictly distinguishing between water used for drinking and water used for animals or washing. In towns without sewer systems, private homes generally had no toilets.

Common drinks and food prices

Drinking coffee became a general habit even among the lowest laborers, who consumed it in the morning as a digestive aid. By 1816, a liter of wine cost 3 grana, while a roll of bread weighing nearly a kilogram cost 6 grana.

Staple meals for working families

Working-class families often ate pasta, specifically a cheap, mixed-quality version called monnezzaglia, or relied on tavern food like the hearty minestra maritata soup made with meat and vegetables.

Food prices in 1816

In 1816, an 890-gram loaf of bread cost 6 grana, while beef cost 16 grana and a liter of wine cost 3 grana. Pasta was similarly priced to bread, with 890 grams of maccheroni costing 8 grana.

Worker daily wages in 1816

In 1816, a laborer earned 15–20 grana per day, while specialized workers earned 55 grana and masters 80 grana. A daily food supplement of 10–15 grana was often provided if meals were not included at the workplace.

Common Jobs: Farming and Crafts

The most common occupations in the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies were agricultural laborers, followed by mechanics and craftsmen. In 1826, agricultural workers, including husbandmen and shepherds, accounted for over 1.5 million of the male population.

Pluriactivity Among Workers

Many workers engaged in multiple jobs simultaneously, such as a cobbler who also performed construction work, to ensure they had income throughout the year. Because of limited work availability, skilled artisans often had to diversify their trades to avoid periods of unemployment.