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Ricciarda Gonzaga

Novellara, 22 Feb 1698 – Massa, 24 Nov 1768

6 facts3 sources

Facts and their sources

  • Born22 Feb 1698, Novellaranot verified1 source
  • Died24 Nov 1768, Massanot verified1 source

A life in time

  1. 22 Feb 1698

    Born in Novellara

  2. 29 Jun 1725

    A daughter is born

  3. 24 Nov 1768

    Dies in Massa, aged 70

Family

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Partner

Children · 1

During her lifetime

She lived through 8 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around Novellara.

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

The 1690s · Ricciarda is born in Novellara

In the news1690–1699

Famine during 1690s war occupation

Due to war-related requisitions and bad harvests starting in 1690, families in the mountainous Tarentaise and Maurienne provinces were reduced to eating ground shells and nuts mixed with small amounts of oats or barley.

Getting around

Mountain travel and daily distances

Alpine crossings required switching to mules or porters because carriage roads often ended at the base of the mountains. Travelers covering long distances usually managed about 20 to 40 kilometers per day.

In the news1695

Hospice for the Poor established in 1695

In 1695, Duke Rinaldo I established the Hospice for the Poor to manage the large influx of beggars and unemployed people in the city of Modena.

Daily life

Education and social life

While public education systems were introduced by 1661, daily social interaction for the rural population primarily took place in stables during the evening, which served as a shared space for work and exchange.

What people wore

Everyday peasant clothing

Simple peasants wore sturdy, locally-made garments of brown or white wool and stiff cloth for everyday tasks.

Music

Hurdy-gurdy as a popular folk instrument

The hurdy-gurdy was a common instrument used by ordinary people for centuries to accompany singing, dancing, and popular entertainment. It was also famously associated with Savoyard street performers and children who traveled across Europe with their music and puppets.

At the table

Simple Daily Meals and Rare Meat

For many ordinary people, the daily meal was simple and focused on survival, often consisting of dark bread, wine, and soups made with vegetables like cabbage, turnips, or onions. Meat was a rare luxury, eaten mostly during festivals or when money allowed.