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Aleksander Ostrogski

Wiewiórka, Podkarpackie Voivodeship, 1570 – Ternopil, 1603

13 facts2 sources

Facts and their sources

  • Born1570, Wiewiórka, Podkarpackie Voivodeshipor Jun 1571Records disagree1 source
  • MarriedAnna Kostkanot verified1 source
  • Titledeputy of Crown Tribunalor Volhynian Voivode, 1593–1603not verified1 source
  • TitleVolhynian Voivode, 1593–1603or deputy of Crown Tribunalnot verified1 source
  • Died1603, TernopilRecords disagree1 source
  • FatherKonstanty Wasyl Ostrogskinot verified1 source
  • MotherZofia Tarnowskanot verified1 source

A life in time

  1. 1570

    Born in Wiewiórka, Podkarpackie Voivodeship

  2. 1593–1603

    Volhynian Voivode

  3. 1595

    A daughter is born

  4. 1603

    Dies in Ternopil

Family

See the tree

Parents

Partner

Children · 1

During his lifetime

He lived through 4 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around Wiewiórka, Podkarpackie Voivodeship.

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

The 1570s · Aleksander is born in Wiewiórka, Podkarpackie Voivodeship

In the news1569–1574

Famine and price crisis of 1569-1574

Between 1569 and 1574, a severe famine and price crisis struck the region, causing mass death among the poorest residents, while wealthy nobles remained largely unaffected. During 1573 and 1574, a 2.2-kilogram loaf of rye bread cost an unskilled worker in Krakow between 32% and 40% of their daily wage.

At the table

Social Life in Taverns

Taverns were central to social life, where people gathered to drink beer, mead, or vodka while enjoying entertainment like dancing bears, music, and conversation.

What people wore

Needle cases as wallets

A 'holnyk' was a common accessory, a small case for needles that women also used to carry small amounts of cash. One recorded holnyk cost three groschen, while it once contained fifteen Lithuanian groschen in cash.

Getting around

Postal route speed

The first state postal route between Vilnius and Krakow, established in 1562, took 7 days to cover the distance of over 600 kilometers.

What it cost

Cost of a loaf of bread

In the late 16th century, a loaf of sifted rye bread cost 1 Polish groschen.

Music

Instruments and Professional Musicians

Common musical instruments used in daily life included the gudok (a bowed instrument), gusli (a string instrument), sopilka (a flute), bubon (tambourine), and duda (bagpipe). In cities, musicians sometimes organized into professional guilds to perform at weddings, festivals, and funerals.

Daily life

Common Wooden Homes and Fire Risks

Most homes were wooden, often featuring a furnace as a central element, while stone was typically reserved for churches and administration. Due to the high risk of fire, urban authorities sometimes limited candlelight, and dwellings were often not plastered with clay.