In the news1636–1637
Spanish Invasion and Plundering in 1636
Spanish troops invaded and plundered the Duchy of Parma and Piacenza, causing famine and disease that killed over 10,000 civilians.
Parma, 17 Sep 1630 – Parma, 11 Dec 1694
9 facts3 sources
17 Sep 1630
Born in Parma
1646–1694
Duke of Parma
1666–1678
2 children are born
11 Dec 1694
Dies in Parma, aged 64
He lived through 7 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around Parma.
General history, not a record about the family: each item says where it comes from.
In the news1636–1637
Spanish troops invaded and plundered the Duchy of Parma and Piacenza, causing famine and disease that killed over 10,000 civilians.
Daily life
Village education and private school funding
At the village level, some instruction was provided by local priests, while towns paid for schoolmasters and some wealthy individuals funded private colleges to train youth.
In the news1630
A major plague epidemic struck Piacenza, leading to strict quarantine orders and city-wide regulations issued throughout 1630 to contain the contagion.
At the table
Wine as daily beverage
Due to contaminated water in Novara, ordinary people often consumed wine as their daily beverage to avoid health risks.
Music
The wandering hurdy-gurdy player
In popular tradition, wandering musicians, often children, were known for traveling across Europe and performing to the sound of the hurdy-gurdy.
Getting around
Daily Travel Distance for Alpine Travelers
Travel times were highly variable due to terrain and weather, but Alpine travelers generally covered between 20 and 40 kilometers per day on average.
What it cost
High salt costs impacted livestock economy
Salt was so expensive in the Duchy of Savoy that officials feared high prices ruined households and discouraged farmers from giving necessary portions to their cattle. This high cost of salt negatively affected milk, cheese, and meat production.