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Louise Elisabeth of Courland

Jelgava, 12 Aug 1646 – Weferlingen, 16 Dec 1690

8 facts3 sources

Facts and their sources

A life in time

  1. 12 Aug 1646

    Born in Jelgava

  2. 17 Jun 1672

    A daughter is born

  3. 16 Dec 1690

    Dies in Weferlingen, aged 44

Family

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Parents

Partner

Children · 1

During her lifetime

She lived through 6 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around Jelgava.

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

The 1640s · Louise is born in Jelgava

In the news1649

Catastrophic Daugava flooding in 1649

In April 1649, severe flooding of the Daugava River destroyed all buildings on the islands of Riga and caused significant damage to the city's suburbs.

Getting around

Travel time between Vilnius and Kaunas

Traveling between Vilnius and Kaunas in the 17th century typically took an entire day, whereas today it can be done in less than 90 minutes.

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.

Daily life

Shared town water wells for fire safety

In 17th-century Mitau, town regulations required every ten households to collectively provide a public well for drawing water to extinguish fires.

What people wore

Boots were reserved for festive wear

Men primarily wore long coats belted at the waist and carried out their work in simple bast shoes, while boots were typically reserved for festive occasions.

Music

Traditional musical instruments in villages

Traditional instruments during this era included bagpipes, which were widely known in villages, alongside shepherd instruments like whistles, horns, and trumpets.

At the table

Beer as a common household beverage

Beer was the most common beverage in Livonia, and while guilds controlled sales, individuals could brew their own for personal consumption.