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Hedwig Sophie of Brandenburg

Berlin, 14 Jul 1623 – Schmalkalden, 26 Jun 1683

11 facts3 sources

Facts and their sources

A life in time

  1. 14 Jul 1623

    Born in Berlin

  2. 1650–1661

    4 children are born

  3. 26 Jun 1683

    Dies in Schmalkalden, aged 59

Family

See the tree

Parents

Partner

Children · 4

During her lifetime

She lived through 7 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around Berlin.

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

The 1620s · Hedwig is born in Berlin

In the news1618–1623

The Kipper and Wipper Economic Crisis

Between 1618 and 1623, Germany suffered the Kipper and Wipper economic crisis, where rulers debased coins by reducing silver content, causing rapid inflation. This made it impossible for people with fixed incomes, such as teachers and pensioners, to afford basic living expenses.

At the table

Salted Herring as a Daily Staple

Salted herring was a vital, affordable protein source for ordinary people, with a single fish costing 2 alb. It served as a staple alongside bread and cheese to supplement grain-based diets.

What people wore

Everyday Women's Clothing Basics

An everyday women's outfit consisted of a white shirt, a colored bodice called a Brustlein, a skirt known as an Unterrock, and a white apron. The Brustlein was often sold as ready-to-wear, while the skirt required a tailor.

Getting around

River travel offered rapid downstream movement

Traveling downstream by boat was the fastest method, sometimes covering up to 150 kilometers in 24 hours under optimal conditions.

What it cost

Cost of footwear around 1620

A pair of men's shoes in 1620 Schaumburg cost 17 Mariengroschen, and in 1622 Pomerania, simple shoes cost 20 Schilling.

Music

Music in Homes and Religious Devotion

During the early seventeenth century, music was an integral part of home life, with keyboard tablatures enabling people to play compositions like dances or sacred works on instruments such as the organ, harpsichord, or clavichord. Meanwhile, religious life featured cradle devotions at Christmas, where music was played while rocking a cradle representing the Christ child.

Daily life

Dark and smoky rural homes

Rural homes, known as Hallenhäuser, lacked chimneys; the open fire caused dark, smoky, and stuffy living conditions. Families often lived under the same roof as their livestock, sharing the space with generations and servants.