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Isabella d'Este, Duchess of Parma

Modena, 3 Oct 1635 – Parma, 21 Aug 1666

9 facts3 sources

Facts and their sources

A life in time

  1. 3 Oct 1635

    Born in Modena

  2. 12 Aug 1666

    A son is born

  3. 21 Aug 1666

    Dies in Parma, aged 30

Family

See the tree

Parents

Partner

Children · 1

During her lifetime

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

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

The 1630s · Isabella is born in Modena

In the news1636–1637

Spanish Invasion and Plundering in 1636

Spanish troops invaded and plundered the Duchy of Parma and Piacenza, causing famine and disease that killed over 10,000 civilians.

Daily life

Communal dining habits and etiquette

Dining often involved sharing dishes, cups, and bowls, requiring guests to eat sparingly to leave food for others, as the key rule at the table was sharing.

In the news1630

Plague Epidemic in Piacenza in 1630

A major plague epidemic struck Piacenza, leading to strict quarantine orders and city-wide regulations issued throughout 1630 to contain the contagion.

At the table

Wine as daily beverage

Due to contaminated water in Novara, ordinary people often consumed wine as their daily beverage to avoid health risks.

Music

The wandering hurdy-gurdy player

In popular tradition, wandering musicians, often children, were known for traveling across Europe and performing to the sound of the hurdy-gurdy.

Getting around

Travel by Foot, Horse, or Carriage

Most common people traveled on foot, while wealthier individuals might use horses, mules, or carriages if the road conditions permitted.

What it cost

High salt costs impacted livestock economy

Salt was so expensive in the Duchy of Savoy that officials feared high prices ruined households and discouraged farmers from giving necessary portions to their cattle. This high cost of salt negatively affected milk, cheese, and meat production.