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Zofia of Słuck

Slutsk, 11 May 1585 – Červień, 9 Mar 1612

11 facts2 sources

Facts and their sources

A life in time

  1. 11 May 1585

    Born in Slutsk

  2. 9 Mar 1612

    Dies in Červień, aged 26

Family

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Parents

Partner

During her lifetime

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

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

The 1580s · Zofia is born in Slutsk

In the news1588

Third Lithuanian Statute promulgated in 1588

The Third Lithuanian Statute was promulgated in 1588, legally formalizing the enslavement of the peasantry in Belarusian lands.

At the table

Beer and kvass were everyday drinks

Beer was a ubiquitous low-alcohol drink, frequently consumed in large quantities because it was considered safer than available water. People also drank kvass, a fermented bread beverage, and birch or maple sap gathered in March.

What people wore

Everyday and feast day coats

People wore simple, homemade grey coats on weekdays and black ones on feast days.

Getting around

Challenging road conditions and infrastructure

Road conditions were often poor, necessitating the use of specialized paths like gaci, made of tree branches and logs to cross marshes. Travelers frequently avoided night journeys to prevent getting lost or driving off the road.

What it cost

Worker earnings in the late 16th century

A construction worker in the region could earn about 3.2 to 3.6 groschen per day, allowing them to earn a full rouble (100 groschen) after a month of steady work.

Music

Popular instruments in daily life

Musicians often used violins, lutes, and small organs called positivs or portatives during both secular and religious life. While orthodox churches forbade instrumental music, catholic services and noble estates frequently used them for music-making and processions.

Daily life

Limited schooling restricted to winter months

Peasant children generally did not attend school, and if they did, it was only during the short winter months because they were needed for herding animals during the rest of the year. Not every family could afford to send their children to school due to the cost of warm clothing and shoes.