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John VI of Anhalt-Zerbst

Zerbst, 24 Mar 1621 – Zerbst, 4 Jul 1667

8 facts2 sources

Facts and their sources

A life in time

  1. 24 Mar 1621

    Born in Zerbst

  2. 1650–1666

    12 children are born

  3. 4 Jul 1667

    Dies in Zerbst, aged 46

Family

See the tree

Parents

Partner

Children · 12

During his lifetime

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

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

The 1620s · John VI is born in Zerbst

In the news1618–1648

Destruction of the Thirty Years' War

The Thirty Years' War, lasting from 1618 to 1648, caused a demographic catastrophe where roughly one-third of urban residents and two-fifths of the rural population perished. Soldiers and camp followers frequently destroyed crops and seized food, leading to widespread famine and forcing villagers to abandon their land.

At the table

Daily porridge served as the staple meal

Porridge was the primary daily meal, often cooked in large batches and reheated, leading to a tough consistency. Ordinary families ate it by reaching into a shared bowl with their hands.

What people wore

Standardized Outfits for the Poor

Charity donations in Nuremberg provided the poor with a standardized annual outfit, including a black woollen coat, waistcoat, stockings, hat, white linen shirt, and shoes, which remained unchanged for centuries.

Getting around

River travel offered rapid downstream movement

Traveling downstream by boat was the fastest method, sometimes covering up to 150 kilometers in 24 hours under optimal conditions.

What it cost

Cost of footwear around 1620

A pair of men's shoes in 1620 Schaumburg cost 17 Mariengroschen, and in 1622 Pomerania, simple shoes cost 20 Schilling.

Music

Town Pipers and Their Daily Music

Town pipers, or Stadtpfeifer, were essential figures who performed at weddings, festivals, and church services using a variety of instruments like cornetts, sackbuts, and crumhorns. They also served as city watchmen, playing brass fanfares from towers to mark the time or announce events.

Daily life

Limited and seasonal schooling for children

There was no general compulsory education, and rural schools were often only attended in winter because children were required to work on farms during the summer. Instruction focused primarily on memorizing the Bible to learn how to pray and read scripture, with writing and arithmetic taught only afterward if at all.