Skip to content
VitrineRoyal Houses of Europe
Sign in

Philip William of Brandenburg-Schwedt

1669–1711

Born
19 May 1669, Königsberg Castle
Country of birth
Soviet Union, today Russia
Died
19 Dec 1711, Schwedt Palace
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 · Königsberg Castle

    Birth, Königsberg Castle

  2. Child born: Frederick William, Margrave of Brandenburg-Schwedt

    Birth, Oranienbaum Palace

  3. Died · Schwedt Palace

    Death, Schwedt Palace

What was it like?

The world around Königsberg Castle, 1669: 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 wore linen shirts as a base layer, with men pairing them with knee-length trousers and women wearing long shirts often decorated for festivals. A belt was essential, as appearing in public without one was considered highly improper.

Fashion

Essential Daily Clothing and Belts

Ordinary people wore linen shirts as a base layer, with men pairing them with knee-length trousers and women wearing long shirts often decorated for festivals. A belt was essential, as appearing in public without one was considered highly improper.

Footwear and Winter Warmth

Peasant footwear was typically made from natural materials like tree bark or vine twigs, though some people used leather soles tied with belts. During winter, both men and women relied on sheepskin or hare fur coats to stay warm.

Music

Church ban on musical instruments

The Russian Orthodox Church strictly forbade the use of musical instruments in churches, teaching that objects without souls could not praise God. Musical instruments were considered appropriate only for secular settings and private feasts, rather than religious worship.

Solitary dancing and embroidered handkerchiefs

When dancing, Russians traditionally did not hold hands; instead, individuals danced alone, often waving intricately embroidered handkerchiefs while moving their arms, shoulders, and hips.

Getting around

Animal-drawn transport in 17th-century Russia

In the 17th century, there were no railways or steamships, so travelers relied on horses and animal-drawn transport such as carriages, carts, and sledges. During the winter, sledges were the preferred vehicle for travel, even for weddings or social visits.

Challenges of 17th-century Russian travel

Travel was slow, often taking weeks, and due to a lack of inns, travelers had to carry their own food, axes, and fire-making supplies to camp outdoors. Wealthy travelers often traveled by post-horses, changing them at stations, though they frequently faced shortages of horses or corrupt officials demanding bribes.

Daily life

Chimney-less huts and smoky interiors

Ordinary homes were chimney-less huts where smoke exited through a small hole, sometimes shared with poultry and young livestock during winter. Lighting was provided by splinter torches, and windows were often small, shuttered, or covered with bull's bladder.

Home and monastery-based education

Children were typically educated at home, focusing on reading, writing, and counting, with some instruction provided by monasteries. Wealthier families also began to introduce foreign languages like Latin and Polish in the 17th century.

Food

Daily diet of cabbage, porridge, and bread

Ordinary families relied heavily on cabbage soup (shchi), porridge, and black rye bread, often supplemented by seasonal mushrooms, berries, and vegetables like turnips or cucumbers. Meat was consumed less frequently due to numerous religious fasts, and the pungent aroma of garlic and onion was characteristic of their daily meals.

Everyday kvass and hangover remedies

Kvass, a fermented beverage made from rye or barley, was a daily staple for people of all social classes. When feeling unwell, especially after drinking, Russians consumed a specific dish called pokhmelye, made from chopped cold mutton, pickles, spices, vinegar, and brine.

Prices and wages

Cost of housing in mid-17th century Moscow

Building a small house in Moscow during this period cost about 10 rubles, which represented four years of income for a simple carpenter.

Food prices in mid-17th century Moscow

In Moscow during the mid-17th century, a chicken cost 3 kopecks, while a kilogram of bread, pork, oil, or sturgeon also cost approximately 1 kopeck and 3 kopecks, respectively.

Work

Demanding agricultural labor cycles

Peasant life revolved around the agricultural calendar, requiring labor on both the lord's fields and their own allotments, with days often starting at 3 or 4 a.m. during the growing season.

Diverse urban labor roles

In Moscow, laborers performed diverse tasks such as trade, craft production in metal or leather, and domestic service, while women frequently managed household stores and sold goods in markets.

News and letters

How Private Letters Traveled

Private individuals rarely used the official state postal system before the 1690s, relying instead on servants, relatives, or traveling acquaintances to carry their letters. Servants often delivered letters for their masters, while merchants used their own agents who were already traveling to transport goods.

Letter Delivery Times

Letters between Moscow and London typically took 40 to 50 days to arrive, with 40 days considered a good time and 50 days considered slow. A letter traveling from Moscow to Riga generally took 11 to 12 days.

During their lifetime

  1. 1670

    1670-1671 Stepan Razin's major uprising

    The Cossack-led uprising of Stepan Razin, which challenged the state and landlords, peaked between 1670 and 1671 before the leader was captured and executed.

  2. 1685

    Huguenot migration to Brandenburg

    The Great Elector issued the Edict of Potsdam, inviting French Huguenot refugees to settle in Brandenburg and Berlin to help rebuild the economy.

  3. 1700

    Monetary system reform in 1704

    Between 1700 and 1704, the government reformed the monetary system, introducing copper coinage and reducing the silver content of the ruble to 28 grams to align with European standards.

  4. 1709

    Great famine after the 1709 winter

    A severe winter caused the Bodensee to freeze completely, leading to widespread crop failures and famine across Europe.

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.