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Juan Cossío

Ciudad Real, 1640 – Kingdom of Naples, 1701

6 facts1 source

Facts and their sources

  • Born1640, Ciudad Realnot verified1 source
  • Died1701, Kingdom of Naplesnot verified1 source
  • FatherPhilip IV of Spainnot verified1 source
  • MotherTomasa Aldananot verified1 source

A life in time

  1. 1640

    Born in Ciudad Real

  2. 1701

    Dies in Kingdom of Naples

Family

See the tree

Parents

During his lifetime

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

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

The 1640s · Juan is born in Ciudad Real

In the news1647–1654

Plague epidemic ravages Spanish regions

A widespread plague outbreak began in Valencia in 1647, devastating various regions across Spain until its final decline in 1654.

Getting around

Common modes of seventeenth-century travel

People traveled mainly on foot, on horseback, or in mule-drawn litters and carts, as carriages were often uncomfortable due to a lack of suspension. The wealthy sometimes used litters or carriages, while the general population relied on horses, mules, or walking.

In the news1640

Catalan peasant revolt in 1640

During the winter of 1640, a peasant uprising broke out in Catalonia against Spanish troops stationed there, leading to political instability.

Daily life

Nightly waste disposal and street hygiene

To maintain hygiene, residents often threw waste from their homes onto the streets at night, leading to the famous cry of "agua va" to warn passersby. This practice contributed significantly to the extreme filth and foul odors reported by foreign travelers in cities like Madrid.

What people wore

Extreme Baroque Fashion

Farthingales became so enormously wide that two women could stand apart yet still have their skirts touch, effectively occupying the space of a canopy. Women also used corrosive mercury sublimate to whiten their faces, often applying excessive amounts of blush.

Music

The popularity of the guitar

The guitar was the most popular instrument in Spain, played in all social settings ranging from taverns to the royal court and households.

At the table

Survival diet using chestnuts and nuts

In some northern regions of Spain, when grain was scarce, families survived for six months or more by eating chestnuts, nuts, and various wild fruits and herbs. This reliance on non-grain staples was a common adaptation to regional food shortages.