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Magnus, Duke of Holstein

Copenhagen Castle, 5 Sep 1540 – Piltene, 28 Mar 1583

11 facts2 sources

Facts and their sources

  • Born5 Sep 1540, Copenhagen Castlenot verified1 source
  • Titleadministrator of the Diocese of Reval, 1560–1561or Bishop of Ösel-Wiek, 1560–1572 · diocesan administrator, 1561–1583not verified1 source
  • TitleBishop of Ösel-Wiek, 1560–1572or administrator of the Diocese of Reval, 1560–1561 · diocesan administrator, 1561–1583not verified1 source
  • Titlediocesan administrator, 1561–1583or administrator of the Diocese of Reval, 1560–1561 · Bishop of Ösel-Wiek, 1560–1572not verified1 source
  • Died28 Mar 1583, Piltenenot verified1 source
  • MotherDorothea of Saxe-Lauenburgnot verified1 source
  • FatherChristian III of Denmarknot verified1 source

A life in time

  1. 5 Sep 1540

    Born in Copenhagen Castle

  2. 1560–1561

    Administrator of the Diocese of Reval

  3. 1560–1572

    Bishop of Ösel-Wiek

  4. 1561–1583

    Diocesan administrator

  5. 28 Mar 1583

    Dies in Piltene, aged 42

Family

See the tree

Parents

During his lifetime

He lived through 5 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around Copenhagen Castle.

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

The 1540s · Magnus, is born in Copenhagen Castle

In the news1547

Massive fire destroys parts of Riga

In 1547, a massive fire in the outskirts of Riga destroyed many houses, churches, and merchant warehouses, causing significant damage.

At the table

Beer as an Everyday Drink

Ordinary people drank weak beer daily, as the quality of water was poor and it was considered safer and more common than drinking water.

What people wore

Practical Working Clothing for Peasants

Working peasants often wore simple, practical clothing such as linen shirts, wool tunics, hose, and aprons, while stripping down to their linen braies for fieldwork.

Getting around

Traveling by foot or wagon

In the 1500s, people typically traveled by foot, horseback, or in wagons, covering about 6 to 7 km per hour in a walking pace.

Work

Forced labor for tenant farmers

Tenant farmers often performed forced manual labor, known as servitude, which could include cleaning grain, chopping wood, or collecting stones from the landlord’s fields.

Music

Hymns replace dance in churches

Following the 1536 Reformation, communal hymn singing in Danish became a central and active part of church services, though the authorities actively suppressed folk dancing inside churches.

Daily life

Limited light and communal water sources

Illumination in homes was minimal, relying on tallow candles and the dim glow from the central open hearth, which also served as the only source of heat and place for cooking. Water for daily use had to be fetched from a shared village well, as homes lacked running water.