Dwór królowej od kuchni, czyli o zaopatrzeniu stołu Barbary Radziwiłłówny (1548-1551)

LTReikšminiai žodžiai: Barbora Radvilaitė; Dvaras; Krokuva; Lenkijos istorija; 16 amžius; Sąskaitų knygos; Valdovai; Vilnius; Virtuvė; Accounts; Barbora Radvilaitė; Barbora Radziwillowna; Court; Cracow; Cuisine; Kitchen; Lithuanian XVI c. history; Monarchs; Poland history; Vilnius.

ENAccounts from the main series (Regestra perceptorum et distributorum de privatis proventibus SMR) of the years 1548-1551 are necessary to analyse food supplies of Barbara Radziwiłł. A particular importance is attached to two volumes dedicated exclusively to the kitchen of the royal wife, especially a manuscript recording expenses of 1549 and a book of the mid-i55os. The aforementioned books record expenses for foodstuffs in a day and week system delivered to the kitchen and a storeroom of Radziwiłł together with the amount and volume of the purchased victuals as well as their prices. Wawrzyniec Jelitowski, a minister of Queen Barbara since April 1548 and a supervisor of the accounts, gave them an ordered and methodical arrangement: first, he consistently completed them with the adopted rule (placing meat or fish at the beginning); and second, he based them on a peculiar hierarchical structure according to species - from cattle, hogs, pigs, poultry to game, and with fish - from the most refined to common species, then animal and vegetable fats, dairy products, vegetables, fruit, confectionary and spices.A small amount of pork and great amounts of beef and poultry, a great number of species of wild birds, a great variety of fish, a great amount of vegetables, including raw vegetables and fruit, also seasonal ones, and especially purchases of specific, one may say - feminine, flowery spices, add more individual character to the composition of products delivered to the kitchen and boarding of Barbara Radziwiłł. In main account books including a cumulative report of the expenses, sums allocated for sustenance of Barbara Radziwiłł account for c. 300-400 florins a week and show a decrease when Barbara left the Wawel Castle. An insight into the lists of purchases necessary for the sustenance of the Queen gives the idea about the scale and logistics of the activities of the office of minister. To ensure and organize the supplies of such divergent products in terms of quality and quantity and for different places of residence of the Queen required masterly organization and competence. Court economics was highly dynamic and flexible and it addresses the needs of the Queen and her court, and must have depended largely on the sustenance of the court of Sigismund Augustus. [From the publication]