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Heinrich von Friesen the younger

Rötha, 5 Oct 1610 – Schönfeld, 24 May 1680

7 facts1 source

Facts and their sources

  • Born5 Oct 1610, Röthanot verified1 source
  • TitleGeheimrator Canon of the Cathedral Chapter Naumburgnot verified1 source
  • TitleCanon of the Cathedral Chapter Naumburgor Geheimratnot verified1 source
  • Died24 May 1680, Schönfeldnot verified1 source

A life in time

  1. 5 Oct 1610

    Born in Rötha

  2. 19 May 1668

    A daughter is born

  3. 24 May 1680

    Dies in Schönfeld, aged 69

Family

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Children · 1

During his lifetime

He lived through 8 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around Rötha.

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

The 1610s · Heinrich is born in Rötha

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

Walking and riding were primary modes of travel

Most ordinary people traveled on foot, taking 20 to 40 kilometers per day, while wealthier individuals rode horses or traveled in carriages.

Work

Common roles included farmers and servants

Most people were village farmers, ranging from those owning enough land to sustain a family to smallholders who relied on additional wage labor, spinning, or weaving to survive. Others worked as life-cycle servants, such as farmhands and maids, who lived with an employer and provided labor in exchange for bed and board.

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

Shared living spaces under one roof

Rural families often lived in timber-framed houses under the same roof as their livestock, sharing space with multiple generations and servants. Living areas were often dark and smoky due to open hearths without chimneys, with light provided by small windows or simple peep-holes.