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Elizabeth Charlotte of Nassau-Siegen

Emmerich am Rhein, 21 Mar 1628 – Culemborg, 26 Nov 1694

8 facts1 source

Facts and their sources

A life in time

  1. 21 Mar 1628

    Born in Emmerich am Rhein

  2. 3 Aug 1662

    A daughter is born

  3. 26 Nov 1694

    Dies in Culemborg, aged 66

Family

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Parents

Partner

Children · 1

During her lifetime

She lived through 8 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around Emmerich am Rhein.

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

The 1620s · Elizabeth is born in Emmerich am Rhein

In the news1618–1648

Destruction of the Thirty Years' War

The Thirty Years' War, lasting from 1618 to 1648, caused a demographic catastrophe where roughly one-third of urban residents and two-fifths of the rural population perished. Soldiers and camp followers frequently destroyed crops and seized food, leading to widespread famine and forcing villagers to abandon their land.

At the table

Daily porridge served as the staple meal

Porridge was the primary daily meal, often cooked in large batches and reheated, leading to a tough consistency. Ordinary families ate it by reaching into a shared bowl with their hands.

What people wore

Bavarian laws restricted everyday clothing materials

In 1626, Bavarian law strictly forbade common people, laborers, and farmers from wearing expensive fabrics like crimson-dyed cloth, gold or silver trimmings, or silk ribbons. Farmers were instead directed to use domestic wool, sheepskin, or calfskin and were permitted only simple linen collars without lace or fringe.

Getting around

Travel Speeds Were Generally Very Slow

Typical travelers, often delayed by weather, poor roads, or cargo, were generally happy to cover 100 kilometers in a week.

What it cost

Cost of footwear around 1620

A pair of men's shoes in 1620 Schaumburg cost 17 Mariengroschen, and in 1622 Pomerania, simple shoes cost 20 Schilling.

Music

Regulated Wedding Celebrations

Weddings were the most significant lifetime celebrations, with music, guest lists, and food heavily regulated according to the social status of the families involved.

Daily life

Water access and heating systems

Wealthier households had private wells with pumps, but many town dwellers relied on public rivers or town ditches, which were often contaminated by waste. Some stoves featured built-in water cisterns that provided hot water for daily tasks.