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Magnus, Duke of Holstein

Copenhagen Castle, 5 Sep 1540 – Piltene, 28 Mar 1583

11 facts2 sources

Facts and their sources

  • Born5 Sep 1540, Copenhagen Castlenot verified1 source
  • Titleadministrator of the Diocese of Reval, 1560–1561or Bishop of Ösel-Wiek, 1560–1572 · diocesan administrator, 1561–1583not verified1 source
  • TitleBishop of Ösel-Wiek, 1560–1572or administrator of the Diocese of Reval, 1560–1561 · diocesan administrator, 1561–1583not verified1 source
  • Titlediocesan administrator, 1561–1583or administrator of the Diocese of Reval, 1560–1561 · Bishop of Ösel-Wiek, 1560–1572not verified1 source
  • Died28 Mar 1583, Piltenenot verified1 source
  • MotherDorothea of Saxe-Lauenburgnot verified1 source
  • FatherChristian III of Denmarknot verified1 source

A life in time

  1. 5 Sep 1540

    Born in Copenhagen Castle

  2. 1560–1561

    Administrator of the Diocese of Reval

  3. 1560–1572

    Bishop of Ösel-Wiek

  4. 1561–1583

    Diocesan administrator

  5. 28 Mar 1583

    Dies in Piltene, aged 42

Family

See the tree

Parents

During his lifetime

He lived through 5 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around Copenhagen Castle.

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

The 1540s · Magnus, is born in Copenhagen Castle

In the news1547

Massive fire destroys parts of Riga

In 1547, a massive fire in the outskirts of Riga destroyed many houses, churches, and merchant warehouses, causing significant damage.

At the table

Limited Access to Fresh Meat

Fresh meat was rare for commoners, who typically relied on salted meat for most of the year, reserving fresh meat primarily for the Christmas season.

What people wore

Legal Restrictions on Clothing Materials

Ordinary men and women were legally prohibited from wearing luxury textiles like velvet, damask, or silk, though non-noble unmarried women could wear simple silk or velvet hair ribbons.

Getting around

Traveling by foot or wagon

In the 1500s, people typically traveled by foot, horseback, or in wagons, covering about 6 to 7 km per hour in a walking pace.

Work

Forced labor for tenant farmers

Tenant farmers often performed forced manual labor, known as servitude, which could include cleaning grain, chopping wood, or collecting stones from the landlord’s fields.

Music

Popular chain dancing and musical accompaniment

In the mid-16th century, common people frequently danced in chains, often to the sound of a performer simultaneously playing a pipe and a small drum.

Daily life

Living in cramped, cold timber-framed houses

Most ordinary Danish farmers lived in small, cold timber-framed houses built directly on the ground, sharing their limited space with livestock to help stay warm. People typically slept in short, cupboard-like alcove beds, often sitting upright because they believed lying flat was unhealthy or due to limited space.