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Margherita Farnese of Parma

Parma, 17 Nov 1567 – Piacenza, 13 Apr 1643

8 facts3 sources

Facts and their sources

A life in time

  1. 17 Nov 1567

    Born in Parma

  2. 13 Apr 1643

    Dies in Piacenza, aged 75

Family

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Parents

Partner

During her lifetime

She lived through 9 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.

The 1560s · Margherita is born in Parma

In the news1561

Mandatory salt tax introduced

In 1561, the Duke imposed a mandatory salt tax requiring every person to purchase about 11.4 kilograms of salt annually, with the poor exempted.

Getting around

Network of roads and mule tracks

The region relied on a network of paths and roads, including the major Via Emilia that connected Parma and Piacenza, while others like the route to Spezia were mountain mule tracks. Carriageable roads existed for local travel, such as the route between Piacenza, Rivergaro, and Travi.

In the news1562

Capital moved to Turin

The capital of the Duchy was transferred from Chambéry to Turin in 1562, leading to the eventual marginalization of the Savoyard lands.

Daily life

Small, dark, and smoky village homes

Common village homes were typically one-room stone or wood structures with thatched roofs, earthen floors, and no chimneys, meaning smoke escaped through roof gaps. Light was scarce because windows were few, very small, and sometimes covered only with waxed cloth.

What people wore

Everyday village clothing for women

In the sixteenth-century villages of the Duchy of Parma and Piacenza, women's daily attire consistently included a shirt (camicia), a dress (veste), a veil, a cap (scuffia), and an apron (scossale).

Music

Choir Training at the Steccata Church

In 1565, a small seminary for twelve boys was established at the Steccata church in Parma to provide instruction in both plainchant and polyphonic singing.

At the table

Seasonal Fruits and Home-Made Salami

Families ate seasonal produce such as grapes in September, oranges in November, and various fruits like cherries, strawberries, and melons as summer approached. They also prepared for the colder months by buying spices, pepper, and salt in December, specifically to make salami.