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Magdalene Sibylle of Saxony

Dresden, 23 Dec 1617 – Altenburg, 6 Jan 1668

10 facts3 sources

Facts and their sources

A life in time

  1. 23 Dec 1617

    Born in Dresden

  2. 14 Jan 1656

    A daughter is born

  3. 6 Jan 1668

    Dies in Altenburg, aged 50

Family

See the tree

Parents

Partners

Children · 1

During her lifetime

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

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

The 1610s · Magdalene is born in Dresden

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

Long work days and child labor

During summer, work began by 5:00 AM or earlier, with tasks continuing until dark and minimal breaks. Children as young as five to nine years old, often called servants, contributed by herding animals, spinning, fetching water, or caring for younger children.

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

Water access and heating systems

Wealthier households had private wells with pumps, but many town dwellers relied on public rivers or town ditches, which were often contaminated by waste. Some stoves featured built-in water cisterns that provided hot water for daily tasks.