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Catherine Henriette de Bourbon

Rouen, 14 Nov 1596 – Paris, 20 Jun 1663

8 facts3 sources

Facts and their sources

A life in time

  1. 14 Nov 1596

    Born in Rouen

  2. 20 Jun 1663

    Dies in Paris, aged 66

Family

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Parents

During her lifetime

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

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

The 1590s · Catherine is born in Rouen

In the news1598

Edict of Nantes signed

The Edict of Nantes was issued in 1598, marking the end of the religious wars and granting limited rights to Huguenots.

Getting around

Travel speeds and horse relays

Early public carriages were slow, covering only about 48 kilometers in a day. Wealthy travelers or officials could pay to use the royal horse relay system to travel at a much faster gallop.

In the news1562–1598

French Wars of Religion begin

The French Wars of Religion broke out in 1562, leading to immense loss of life through violence, famine, and disease that lasted until 1598.

Daily life

Common dining habits and wine consumption

People generally ate from trenchers—plates made of wood, metal, or bread—as forks were rare in popular classes and only slowly adopted by the nobility. To drink, wine was almost always diluted with water because it was considered too heavy and thick.

What people wore

Standard peasant wear in Saumur region

A 16th-century peasant from the Saumur region wore a felt hat with a turned-down brim, a sayon tunic to the mid-thigh, a blue jerkin, and a country-style coat called a balandras.

Music

Sounds of daily life and festivals

While church music was restricted, bells rhythmically marked daily life, and loud instruments like oboes and bagpipes were used for village festivals and celebrations.

At the table

Preference for fermented drinks

Because water was considered unhealthy, common people preferred drinking wine, beer, or cider.