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.
Palace of the Dukes of Lorraine, 26 Aug 1565 – Florence, 19 Dec 1637
10 facts3 sources
26 Aug 1565
Born in Palace of the Dukes of Lorraine
1590–1604
8 children are born
19 Dec 1637
Dies in Florence, aged 72
She lived through 8 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around Palace of the Dukes of Lorraine.
General history, not a record about the family: each item says where it comes from.
In the news1562–1592
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.
Getting around
Common ways of traveling during the Renaissance
Until the mid-16th century, common travel methods included walking, riding a mule, or, for the wealthy, riding a horse.
In the news1561
In 1561, the Duke imposed a mandatory salt tax requiring every person to purchase about 11.4 kilograms of salt annually, with the poor exempted.
Daily life
Unreliable street lighting
Nighttime lighting in Paris was unreliable, as official decrees requiring citizens to hang lanterns outside their homes were rarely followed due to a lack of funding and enforcement.
What people wore
Shepherdess attire in Anjou
A shepherdess from Anjou wore a cloth bonnet with a raised crown, a blouse with a fluted collar, a blue bodice, braces, and a woollen skirt.
Music
Rise of amateur home music
While professional musicians were hired for major events, amateur music-making at home became popular among the nobility and bourgeoisie, supported by the growth of music publishing and the use of tablatures.
At the table
Bread and soup were dietary staples
Ordinary families based their daily diet on bread, often eaten as soup by soaking pieces in water or bouillon, alongside cereal porridges or cakes. This was frequently accompanied by a companage, which was a variety of accessible foods like vegetables, legumes, cheese, or eggs.