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Maria Amalia of Courland

Jelgava, 12 Jun 1653 – Weilmünster, 16 Jun 1711

11 facts3 sources

Facts and their sources

A life in time

  1. 12 Jun 1653

    Born in Jelgava

  2. 1676–1688

    3 children are born

  3. 16 Jun 1711

    Dies in Weilmünster, aged 58

Family

See the tree

Parents

Partner

Children · 3

During her lifetime

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

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

The 1650s · Maria is born in Jelgava

In the news1657

Plague epidemic in Mitau

In 1657, a devastating plague outbreak killed at least 901 people in the city of Mitau alone within 22 weeks.

Getting around

Walking as primary transport

Ordinary people, including pilgrims and merchants, typically traveled on foot, averaging about 10 kilometres per day.

In the news1654

Demonstration of vacuum power

Otto von Guericke demonstrated the power of a vacuum in Regensburg using sixteen horses to pull apart two sealed hemispheres.

Daily life

Peasant Threshing-Dwelling Houses

In the 17th century, Vidzeme peasant homes, known as threshing-dwelling houses, combined living space with a drying house and a threshing room under one roof.

What people wore

Peasant self-sufficiency in clothing production

Ordinary peasants typically wore handmade garments, and women were expected to know how to weave their own clothing to avoid criticism from others. Peasants also avoided purchasing clothing, preferring to create everything themselves.

Music

Fines for wedding musicians in Rīga

Musicians were often paid 3 Rīga thalers in fines if they failed to follow strict rules, such as playing at multiple weddings in one day.

At the table

Peas and beans as daily food

Field beans and grey peas were essential everyday foods, and people believed that eating all the peas served at a New Year's feast would prevent them from crying in the coming year.