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Catalina Micaela of Spain

Madrid, 20 Oct 1567 – Turin, 6 Nov 1597

9 facts2 sources

Facts and their sources

A life in time

  1. 20 Oct 1567

    Born in Madrid

  2. 1587–1591

    3 children are born

  3. 6 Nov 1597

    Dies in Turin, aged 30

Family

See the tree

Parents

Partner

Children · 3

During her lifetime

She lived through 4 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around Madrid.

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

The 1560s · Catalina is born in Madrid

In the news1561

Mandatory salt tax introduced

In 1561, the Duke imposed a mandatory salt tax requiring every person to purchase about 11.4 kilograms of salt annually, with the poor exempted.

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.

In the news1562

Capital moved to Turin

The capital of the Duchy was transferred from Chambéry to Turin in 1562, leading to the eventual marginalization of the Savoyard lands.

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.

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.

Music

Instruments in church and processions

During Holy Week, the Church replaced bells with wooden instruments called matracas to commemorate the death of Jesus, as bells were considered the voice of Christ. Minstrels playing wind instruments like shawms, sackbuts, and flutes were also central to both sacred processions and secular street festivals.

At the table

Wine and simple carob drinks

Wine was considered a fundamental, energy-providing beverage for all, though commoners often drank poor-quality or adulterated versions compared to the wealthy. Aloja, a drink made from carob fruits, was another popular, rudimentary beverage served in taverns.