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Barbara of Brandenburg, Duchess of Brieg

1527–1595

Born
10 Aug 1527, Berlin
Country of birth
Margraviate of Brandenburg, today Germany
Died
2 Jan 1595, Brzeg
facts
7
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 · Berlin

    Birth, Berlin

  2. Child born: Joachim Frederick of Brieg

    Birth, Brzeg

  3. Died · Brzeg

    Death, Brzeg

What was it like?

The world around Berlin, 1527: 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.

Ordinary people in the region wore basic garments made of wool or fustian, with men typically wearing tunics, hosen, and hats, while women wore dresses, aprons, and head coverings. Their clothing was functional and designed to be durable, often passed down or kept until it fell apart to maximize its investment value.

Fashion

Basic and durable peasant clothing

Ordinary people in the region wore basic garments made of wool or fustian, with men typically wearing tunics, hosen, and hats, while women wore dresses, aprons, and head coverings. Their clothing was functional and designed to be durable, often passed down or kept until it fell apart to maximize its investment value.

Strict sumptuary laws restricted attire

Sumptuary laws from 1530 strictly forbade common country folk from wearing gold, silver, pearls, silk, ostrich feathers, or slashed clothing to maintain social distinctions. Furthermore, peasant women were limited to using simple fur types like lamb or goat, while any elaborate decorations or expensive accessories were officially prohibited.

Music

School children singing for income

School children were required to sing German hymns daily at church services and earned extra money by singing at funerals and in front of wealthy citizens' houses.

Strict regulation of dancing and music

City authorities strictly regulated festivals, banning "useless and indecent dancing" and restricting music performances at weddings to a maximum of three musicians.

Getting around

Common modes of land travel

Most people traveled on foot, as railways and steamships did not exist, while the wealthy preferred horses or mules for their stability in mountainous terrain. Carriages were primarily reserved for women, the sick, or prisoners due to their lack of suspension and uncomfortable ride.

Slow pace of travel

Travel was slow and unpredictable, with average travelers covering only 30 to 45 kilometers per day, though some could reach up to 80 kilometers. Journeys were often delayed by poor road conditions, weather, or the need to stop for horse fodder every 20 to 40 kilometers.

Daily life

Emergence of village schools in Hesse

Before the Reformation, village schools were reportedly non-existent in Hesse, but by 1556, visitors noted the establishment of seven village schools in the central region of the principality. Martin Luther emphasized that schools were necessary for both boys and girls to learn to conduct the affairs of life.

Water access and dense housing in Kassel

In the mid-16th century, Kassel's streets featured running streams, such as the Drusel, which provided an accessible water source throughout the city. Houses were densely built, often utilizing timber-frame construction.

Food

Beer and milk were daily beverages

Beer served as a major beverage for the general population in northern areas like Hesse, as it was safer and more flavorful than water. Milk and whey were also common daily drinks for rural families, while wine was typically reserved for festive occasions and holidays.

Grain porridges were a staple food

For ordinary rural families, the daily diet relied heavily on grain-based porridges made from millet or oats, often cooked with water or milk and seasoned with salt. While bread was more common among the nobility and townspeople, peasants frequently consumed this hearty porridge as their primary meal.

Prices and wages

Income of a Hessian foot soldier

A foot soldier hired to serve the Landgrave of Hesse could earn an annual salary of 40 gulden, along with two sets of court clothing.

Around 1500–1524

Laborer wages and shoe costs

In early 16th-century Saxony, a day laborer could earn 9 groschen per week with keep or 16 groschen without keep. For comparison, a pair of shoes cost 3 groschen.

Work

Peasant life in medieval villages

Peasants comprised over 90 percent of the population, with most families living in small, manor-based villages. Their work was strictly gendered: men plowed and cleared land, while women handled food preparation, spinning, and caring for small animals.

Around 1500–1524

Craftsman wages and food prices

South German masons and carpenters earned approximately 20 denarii in summer and 16 in winter daily, plus board and lodging. During this time, beef cost about 2 denarii per pound.

News and letters

Haste and separate news reports

Letters were often sent in great haste to catch traveling messengers, and news reports were sometimes written on separate sheets to be passed from person to person.

Informal networks for delivering letters

In the 16th century, mail delivery often relied on friends, travelers, or merchants, such as book printers traveling to the Frankfurt trade fairs, to carry letters across the region.

During their lifetime

  1. 1534

    Public access to the postal system

    The postal system opened to the general public in the Holy Roman Empire, allowing anyone to send mail for a fee and transforming communication routines.

  2. 1543

    Cracow plague of 1543

    A plague in Cracow, following a 1540 drought, killed at least 10,000 people between July and November 1543.

  3. 1555

    Peace of Augsburg enacted (1555)

    The 1555 Peace of Augsburg established the legal principle that local princes could determine the religion of their subjects as either Lutheran or Catholic. If subjects disagreed with their ruler's choice, they were granted the right to emigrate with their property and families.

  4. 1558

    First postal service and industrial growth

    In 1558, the first Polish postal service was established, significantly improving communication infrastructure for the country. This period also saw the development of local artillery manufacturing, with 178 workshops employing 1,100 craftsmen.

  5. 1569

    Famine and price crisis of 1569-1574

    Between 1569 and 1574, a severe famine and price crisis struck the region, causing mass death among the poorest residents, while wealthy nobles remained largely unaffected. During 1573 and 1574, a 2.2-kilogram loaf of rye bread cost an unskilled worker in Krakow between 32% and 40% of their daily wage.

  6. 1569

    The Union of Lublin established the Commonwealth

    On July 1, 1569, the Union of Lublin was signed, formally merging the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania into a single Commonwealth of Both Nations. The process involved 140 senators and envoys from the Crown and 77 from Lithuania placing their seals on the act.

Family

Parents

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.