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Archduke Wenceslaus of Austria

Wiener Neustadt, 19 Mar 1561 – Madrid, 2 Oct 1578

8 facts2 sources

Facts and their sources

A life in time

  1. 19 Mar 1561

    Born in Wiener Neustadt

  2. 2 Oct 1578

    Dies in Madrid, aged 17

Family

See the tree

Parents

During his lifetime

He lived through 2 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around Wiener Neustadt.

General history, not a record about the family: each item says where it comes from.

The 1560s · Archduke is born in Wiener Neustadt

In the news1565–1571

Danube River permanently changes course near Vienna

Between 1565 and 1571, severe ice jams and floods caused the Danube to permanently relocate its main current to the northern Wolf arm, radically altering the landscape near Vienna.

At the table

Meat was a rare luxury

Meat was a luxury rarely eaten by the poor, and consuming it was a symbol of wealth and power, often reserved for special occasions or festivities.

What people wore

Costly and Heavy Headpieces

In the 16th century, women in some regions wore elaborate, heavy headpieces made of linen or crepe that were so costly and uncomfortable they petitioned for them to be reformed. These headpieces were so large and oddly shaped that observers likened them to baskets of cherries or ships sailing with full wind.

Getting around

Daily travel distances on horseback

Travelers typically covered four to six leagues per day on horseback, with exceptional days reaching seven or eight leagues. A league was a unit of distance used in Spain during this period.

What it cost

Rising bread prices in the 1550s

The price of a loaf of bread in Málaga surged from 7 maravedíes in 1553 to 24 maravedíes by May 1557 due to poor harvests.

Music

Popular dances and their instruments

The zarabanda was a popular but controversial folk dance accompanied by the guitar, tambourine, and castanets, and was often banned for its provocative nature. A common Spanish proverb of the time stated that there is no wedding without a tambourine (tamborino).

Daily life

Water access was a major daily effort

Most ordinary homes lacked a private well, forcing residents to carry water from the nearest public fountain. Having a private well was considered a significant luxury.