A large, ornate enclosed carriage used by royalty or nobility in the 16th and 17th centuries.
From French caroche, derived from Italian caroccia, which came from Latin carrus (wagon). The word evolved as European nobility adopted increasingly elaborate horse-drawn vehicles for ceremonial and royal travel.
Caroches were so heavy and ornate that they required multiple horses and specially trained drivers—some noble ladies got stuck inside during bumpy journeys and had to be physically removed! They represent the height of pre-industrial luxury transport.
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