In the news1709
Great famine after the 1709 winter
A severe winter caused the Bodensee to freeze completely, leading to widespread crop failures and famine across Europe.
1 Mar 1708 – 1745
7 facts1 source
1 Mar 1708
Born
1745
Dies
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In the news1709
A severe winter caused the Bodensee to freeze completely, leading to widespread crop failures and famine across Europe.
Getting around
Slow Pace of Mail Coach Travel
Travel by mail coach was slow, moving at a walking pace of about 4-5 km/h. A journey from Nuremberg to Leipzig covered roughly 70 hours, and to Regensburg about 20 hours.
At the table
Simple meals of porridge, soup, and stew
Ordinary families commonly consumed grain-based porridges and soups for breakfast and dinner, while a hearty stew served as the main midday meal. Meat was expensive, so many households reserved it for special occasions like a Sunday roast.
In Europe · 1700–1721The Great Northern War. Russia, Denmark and Saxony fought Sweden for the Baltic; Peter the Great won and built St Petersburg on the conquered coast.
What people wore
Practical Working Clothing and Headwear
Maids wore practical working clothes like shorter skirts, loose bodices, and aprons to move freely while doing heavy chores, while women of all statuses typically wore hair caps for protection and fashion.
Music
Fiddlers earned Nickelgrosken at village celebrations
Fiddlers were central to village life and were paid for their services at weddings and parties with small coins known as Nickelgrosken.
Daily life
Simple and Frugal Home Interiors
Homes often had low ceilings, whitewashed walls, and floors made of stone or brick that were covered in sand. Rooms were sparsely furnished, and houses frequently lacked clocks, making time-keeping and domestic life simple and frugal.