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Jan Kostka

Stębark, 1529 – Jarosław, 10 Jun 1581

8 facts1 source

Facts and their sources

  • Born1529, Stębarknot verified1 source
  • Titleking's secretary at the Polish courtor Sandomierz voivode, 1574–1581 · Polish electornot verified1 source
  • TitlePolish electoror king's secretary at the Polish court · Sandomierz voivode, 1574–1581not verified1 source
  • TitleSandomierz voivode, 1574–1581or king's secretary at the Polish court · Polish electornot verified1 source
  • Died10 Jun 1581, Jarosławnot verified1 source

A life in time

  1. 1529

    Born in Stębark

  2. 1574–1581

    Sandomierz voivode

  3. 5 Jun 1575

    A daughter is born

  4. 10 Jun 1581

    Dies in Jarosław

Family

See the tree

Partner

Children · 1

During his lifetime

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

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

The 1520s · Jan is born in Stębark

In the news1525

Reformation upheavals of 1525

In 1525, violent Reformation urban revolts occurred in Baltic ports, while rebel peasants quoted Luther during a full-scale uprising.

Getting around

Travel speed for the wealthy on horseback

Wealthier individuals traveled on horseback, which allowed for a faster pace of 30–40 kilometers per day compared to pedestrian or wagon travel.

In the news1520

Poll tax established in 1520

A poll tax was agreed upon in 1520, with nobles paying based on landholdings and tenant farmers paying 1 grosz each.

Daily life

Protective names given to young children

Before a formal naming ceremony at the first haircut, children were given protective names like Wolf or Not-Mine to mislead evil spirits.

What people wore

Clothing had a second life

Clothing items often had a second life; they were frequently unpicked and reused to repair or decorate other garments. In 1525, about 7.5% of items in a nobleman's inventory were documented as having been repurposed in this way.

Music

A cross-European dance hit

A dance title recorded in 1540, Zakłułam się cierniem (I pricked myself with a thorn), was so popular it appeared in musical tablatures across Western Europe.

At the table

Rye bread as daily staple

Rye was the primary cereal used for bread, which served as the essential daily food for the majority of the population.