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César, Duke of Vendôme

Château de Coucy, 3 Jun 1594 – Paris, 22 Oct 1665

9 facts3 sources

Facts and their sources

  • Born3 Jun 1594, Château de Coucynot verified1 source
  • Titlegovernor of Brittanynot verified1 source
  • Died22 Oct 1665, Parisnot verified1 source
  • FatherHenry IV of Francenot verified1 source
  • MotherGabrielle d'Estréesnot verified1 source

A life in time

  1. 3 Jun 1594

    Born in Château de Coucy

  2. 16 Aug 1614

    A daughter is born

  3. 22 Oct 1665

    Dies in Paris, aged 71

Family

See the tree

Parents

Partner

Children · 1

During his lifetime

He lived through 8 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around Château de Coucy.

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

The 1590s · César, is born in Château de Coucy

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.

Getting around

Common travel methods in late 16th century

Travelers typically walked, rode horses or mules, or used rare public carriages operated by universities. Roads were often unmaintained and lacked suspension, making travel in heavy carts uncomfortable and slow.

In the news1598

Edict of Nantes signed

The Edict of Nantes was issued in 1598, marking the end of the religious wars and granting limited rights to Huguenots.

Daily life

Common dining habits and wine consumption

People generally ate from trenchers—plates made of wood, metal, or bread—as forks were rare in popular classes and only slowly adopted by the nobility. To drink, wine was almost always diluted with water because it was considered too heavy and thick.

What people wore

Standard peasant wear in Saumur region

A 16th-century peasant from the Saumur region wore a felt hat with a turned-down brim, a sayon tunic to the mid-thigh, a blue jerkin, and a country-style coat called a balandras.

Music

Sounds of daily life and festivals

While church music was restricted, bells rhythmically marked daily life, and loud instruments like oboes and bagpipes were used for village festivals and celebrations.

At the table

Bread and soup as staples

Ordinary families relied on grain-based foods, with bread and soups made of bread soaked in broth, water, or vegetable mixtures providing up to 80 percent of daily calories.