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Eberard Jordi Frederic de Rappolstein

1570–1637

Born
12 Mar 1570, Gemer
Country of birth
Slovakia
Died
27 Aug 1637, Strasbourg
facts
10
sources
1
images and files
0

Facts and their sources

Tap a fact to see where it comes from.

A life in time

  1. Born · Gemer

    Birth, Gemer

  2. Child born: Joan Jaume de Rappolstein

    Birth, Ribeauvillé

  3. Died · Strasbourg

    Death, Strasbourg

What was it like?

The world around Gemer, 1570: who ruled, who else was alive, how people lived. This is general history, not a record about the family, and every item shows where it comes from.

To keep skirts clean and manageable in muddy conditions, women wore them tucked up. This practical adjustment allowed them to adapt the length of their clothing to the environment throughout their daily work.

Fashion

Adjusting skirt length for muddy conditions

To keep skirts clean and manageable in muddy conditions, women wore them tucked up. This practical adjustment allowed them to adapt the length of their clothing to the environment throughout their daily work.

The high value of a married woman's bonnet

Upon marriage, a woman began wearing a bonnet that signified her new status. This valuable item was often made of lace decorated with pearls and was so highly prized that it frequently became a target for theft or served as collateral for loans.

Music

Church music in urban centers

In towns like Levoča and Bardejov, municipal cantors and students performed complex polyphonic and polychoral music in parish churches during daily services and festivals.

Folk dances in historical records

In the 16th and 17th centuries, nobility records and diaries documented folk dance songs known by names such as Haducky, Odzemok, and Hungaresca.

Getting around

Daily travel distances by wagon in 1572

In 1572, travelers moving by wagon between towns such as Bratislava and Kosice covered an average of approximately 48 to 55 kilometers per day, though some days involved shorter distances due to weather or lodging conditions. Traveling in winter was significantly slower and more difficult than in summer, with heavy snowfall and cold weather hindering progress.

Infrastructure improvements for year-round travel

Road quality improved in the second half of the 16th century with the construction of stone bridges to replace wooden ones and the digging of drainage ditches along roads to manage water runoff. These improvements helped make roads usable throughout the year despite the challenges of weather and military conflict.

Daily life

Advanced aristocratic castle kitchens

Aristocratic castle kitchens featured advanced technology like mechanical meat spits that operated on a clockwork principle. These kitchens were strictly guarded to maintain food quality and prevent theft.

Advanced curriculum in Bardejov school

Under Leonard Stöckel's leadership, the Bardejov Latin School became an outstanding institution that taught subjects including physics, astronomy, and Greek. The school also incorporated the study of drama into its educational process.

Food

Flatbreads and seasonal meat storage

People commonly ate unleavened flatbreads baked on hot stones or in pans, reserving leavened bread for special occasions. Meat consumption was seasonal, with pork being the most common meat for rural populations, often stored by salting or drying in barrels.

Staple foods and fermented drinks

Ordinary people frequently ate grain-based porridges, soups, and dishes prepared from flour, such as 'kasha', which were often seasoned with oil, poppy seeds, or honey. Fermented sour drinks and soups like 'kisiel', 'kwas', and 'zur' were also popular staples in their diet.

Prices and wages

Rye bread was the peasant staple food

In 16th-century Slovakia, dark, dense bread made from rye was the staple food for peasants, while meat was considered a luxury reserved for feast days or winter slaughter.

Work

Agricultural labor and urban craftsmanship dominated work

Most ordinary people were engaged in agriculture, performing field work from dawn until dusk, while towns like Košice hosted specialized craftsmen such as blacksmiths, goldsmiths, and tanners.

High level of professional craft specialization

In 16th-century Košice alone, there were 230 different types of crafts performed, demonstrating a high level of professional specialization.

News and letters

Pentapolitana’s urgent night mail runners

The Pentapolitana league of five royal towns organized a formal message relay system between cities like Košice, Prešov, and Bardejov using runners who were required to deliver urgent messages immediately, even at night.

Around 1558–1565

First official 1558 postal line established

In 1558, the first official postal line on Slovak territory was established connecting Bratislava and Košice, with postmasters required to maintain three horses for the service.

During their lifetime

  1. 1572

    St. Bartholomew's Day massacre

    The St. Bartholomew's Day massacre, a violent event in Paris in 1572, resulted in significant deaths and intensified the religious conflicts.

  2. 1577

    Plague epidemic hits Slovakia in 1577

    A plague epidemic spread across Hungary and Slovakia in 1577.

  3. 1590

    Earthquake and fire destroy Bratislava homes, 1590

    In July 1590, a massive fire caused by an earthquake destroyed 320 houses in Bratislava.

  4. 1598

    Edict of Nantes signed

    The Edict of Nantes was issued in 1598, marking the end of the religious wars and granting limited rights to Huguenots.

  5. 1599

    Ottoman and Tatar forces raid Slovakia, 1599

    In 1599, Ottoman and Tatar forces devastated regions of western and central Slovakia, abducting thousands of local inhabitants.

  6. 1626

    Great plague outbreak kills one million

    Between 1626 and 1632, a devastating plague outbreak killed approximately one million people, causing many towns to lose one-third to one-quarter of their inhabitants.

Family

Parents

Spouses

Children

Ancestors and children

Open the full tree

Four generations back to the right, the children to the left. The number beside a child counts the generations of descendants known after them.