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Alexandre de Vendôme

Nantes, 19 Apr 1598 – Vincennes, 28 Feb 1629

9 facts3 sources

Facts and their sources

  • Born19 Apr 1598, Nantesnot verified1 source
  • TitleGrand prior of Francenot verified1 source
  • Died28 Feb 1629, Vincennesnot verified1 source
  • FatherHenry IV of Francenot verified1 source
  • MotherGabrielle d'Estréesnot verified1 source

A life in time

  1. 19 Apr 1598

    Born in Nantes

  2. 28 Feb 1629

    Dies in Vincennes, aged 30

Family

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Parents

During his lifetime

He lived through 4 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around Nantes.

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

The 1590s · Alexandre is born in Nantes

In the news1598

Edict of Nantes signed

The Edict of Nantes was issued in 1598, marking the end of the religious wars and granting limited rights to Huguenots.

Getting around

Common travel methods in late 16th century

Travelers typically walked, rode horses or mules, or used rare public carriages operated by universities. Roads were often unmaintained and lacked suspension, making travel in heavy carts uncomfortable and slow.

In the news1562–1592

Recurring subsistence crises

During the wars, periodic subsistence crises occurred in 1562–1563, 1565–1566, 1573–1574, 1586–1587, and 1590–1592, causing high prices and food shortages.

Daily life

Common dining habits and wine consumption

People generally ate from trenchers—plates made of wood, metal, or bread—as forks were rare in popular classes and only slowly adopted by the nobility. To drink, wine was almost always diluted with water because it was considered too heavy and thick.

What people wore

Standard peasant wear in Saumur region

A 16th-century peasant from the Saumur region wore a felt hat with a turned-down brim, a sayon tunic to the mid-thigh, a blue jerkin, and a country-style coat called a balandras.

Music

Sounds of daily life and festivals

While church music was restricted, bells rhythmically marked daily life, and loud instruments like oboes and bagpipes were used for village festivals and celebrations.

At the table

Bread and soup as staples

Ordinary families relied on grain-based foods, with bread and soups made of bread soaked in broth, water, or vegetable mixtures providing up to 80 percent of daily calories.