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Maurice, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel

Kassel, 4 Jun 1572 – Eschwege, 15 Mar 1632

8 facts3 sources

Facts and their sources

A life in time

  1. 4 Jun 1572

    Born in Kassel

  2. 1596–1623

    5 children are born

  3. 15 Mar 1632

    Dies in Eschwege, aged 59

Family

See the tree

Parents

Partners

Children · 5

During his lifetime

He lived through 7 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around Kassel.

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

The 1570s · Maurice, is born in Kassel

In the news1575

Smallpox and measles epidemic (1575)

A widespread outbreak of smallpox and measles occurred in Holstein in 1575, severely impacting the lives of local families.

Getting around

Travel challenges and gate closures

Traveling was physically demanding, often on unpaved roads through forests or fields, and travelers had to reach their destination before nightfall because city gates were locked at sunset. Common travelers often struggled with bad weather and the lack of comfortable transport, making a simple journey a serious endeavor.

In the news1572

Banking house collapse ruins economy (1572)

The collapse of the major merchant and banking house Loitz in Stettin in 1572 caused widespread economic turmoil throughout the region of Pomerania.

Daily life

School costs in pfennigs

Families sometimes paid quarterly school fees ranging from 12 to 18 pfennigs, while some also had to provide a log of wood during winter.

What people wore

Commoner daily attire and accessories

Ordinary men wore simple tunics, pants often made of wool or linen, and carried belt pouches, while women commonly wore dresses with aprons, sometimes carrying keys or knives on their belts. For warmth or adornment, women added capelets, and unmarried girls were known to wear velvet headbands.

Music

Moralizing Italian dance songs for students

Teachers and pastors replaced erotic texts of popular Italian dance-songs with moral or devotional words to create acceptable music for schoolboys to sing.

At the table

Rare Festive Pastries

For ordinary families, sweet pastries fried in fat, known as Nonnenfürzle, were rare festive delicacies served on special occasions like church festivals. They were made from choux pastry and, according to local tradition, were named for the hissing sound they made as steam escaped in the hot fat.