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Catherine de' Medici
Florence, 2 May 1593 – Siena, 17 Apr 1629
9 facts3 sources
Facts and their sources
- Born2 May 1593, Florencenot verified1 source
- TitleGovernor of Sienanot verified1 source
- Died17 Apr 1629, Sienanot verified1 source
A life in time
2 May 1593
Born in Florence
17 Apr 1629
Dies in Siena, aged 35
Family
See the treeDuring her lifetime
She lived through 4 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around Florence.
General history, not a record about the family: each item says where it comes from.
The 1590s · Catherine is born in Florence
What people wore
Heavy Fines for Illegal Fashion Choices
In some Italian cities, violating sumptuary laws by wearing forbidden luxurious clothing could result in a heavy fine of 25 scudi.
Daily life
Languages used in everyday life
Franco-Provencal was the language of everyday activities and family life for most people, while French was used by the highest classes.
News and letters
Price of sending private letters
Private letters could be sent for 7-9 Milanese soldi per ounce, a price comparable to the cost of buying three or four loaves of bread.
Music
The Popular Pavane Dance
The solemn, slow-moving pavane was a popular dance used by nobles for grand entries and festivities, often accompanied by drums, oboes, trombones, and violins.
What it cost
Wheat price surge in Parma
The controlled price of wheat in Parma's public market surged from 117.18 soldi in 1588 to a peak of 402 soldi per unit in 1592 during a severe subsistence crisis.
Getting around
Daily travel distances varied significantly
Travelers generally covered between 20 and 40 kilometers per day, though this varied greatly depending on terrain, weather, and the individual's social status.
Work
Common trades and dual employment
Common jobs included construction workers like masons, stonecutters, and carpenters, as well as domestic servants and daily laborers working in trades, commerce, or agriculture. Urban residents often pursued a double activity, maintaining small plots of land near the city alongside their main trade.