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Isabella d'Este, Duchess of Parma

Modena, 3 Oct 1635 – Parma, 21 Aug 1666

9 facts3 sources

Facts and their sources

A life in time

  1. 3 Oct 1635

    Born in Modena

  2. 12 Aug 1666

    A son is born

  3. 21 Aug 1666

    Dies in Parma, aged 30

Family

See the tree

Parents

Partner

Children · 1

During her lifetime

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

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

The 1630s · Isabella is born in Modena

In the news1630

Plague Epidemic in Piacenza in 1630

A major plague epidemic struck Piacenza, leading to strict quarantine orders and city-wide regulations issued throughout 1630 to contain the contagion.

Daily life

Communal dining habits and etiquette

Dining often involved sharing dishes, cups, and bowls, requiring guests to eat sparingly to leave food for others, as the key rule at the table was sharing.

In the news1636–1637

Spanish Invasion and Plundering in 1636

Spanish troops invaded and plundered the Duchy of Parma and Piacenza, causing famine and disease that killed over 10,000 civilians.

At the table

Chicken was rarely eaten

For peasant families, eating chicken was a rare event, considered a sign that the bird was not worth selling at the market.

Music

The wandering hurdy-gurdy player

In popular tradition, wandering musicians, often children, were known for traveling across Europe and performing to the sound of the hurdy-gurdy.

Getting around

Travel by Foot, Horse, or Carriage

Most common people traveled on foot, while wealthier individuals might use horses, mules, or carriages if the road conditions permitted.

What it cost

Publicly regulated bread prices and supply

Public authorities in Turin strictly regulated the bread supply, setting official prices based on wheat market fluctuations to ensure social stability. They conducted bread tests to calculate production costs and guarantee an affordable supply for residents.