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Charles of Lorraine, duke of Mayenne

Alençon, 1554 – Soissons, 3 Oct 1611

11 facts3 sources

Facts and their sources

  • Born1554, AlençonRecords disagree1 source
  • TitleGrand Chamberlain of Francenot verified1 source
  • Died3 Oct 1611, SoissonsRecords disagree1 source
  • FatherFrancis, Duke of Guisenot verified1 source
  • MotherAnna of Estenot verified1 source

A life in time

  1. 1554

    Born in Alençon

  2. 1585

    A daughter is born

  3. 3 Oct 1611

    Dies in Soissons

Family

See the tree

Parents

Partner

Children · 1

During his lifetime

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

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

The 1550s · Charles is born in Alençon

In the news1545–1552

Plague epidemics devastate the region

Between 1545 and 1552, plague outbreaks caused extreme hardship, leading to deserted towns and citizens walling up infected homes.

At the table

Regulated prices for bread and wine

In 1550, the price of food in Valence was officially regulated, with white bread costing 7 mailles per pound and black bread costing 5 mailles per pound. Wine was also a daily drink, with local black or red wine priced at 6 deniers per pot.

What people wore

Wine seller's attire in 1586

A 16th-century French wine seller wore a red-trimmed felt hat and a loose jacket gathered at the waist by a leather belt with a hanging money bag.

Getting around

Coaches were extremely rare in 1550

In 1550, there were only three enclosed and suspended coaches in all of Paris, one of which belonged to the Queen of Francis I.

What it cost

Agricultural worker daily wage

By 1550, an agricultural worker earned 1 livre per day.

Music

Instruments classified by volume

In the 16th century, instruments were classified by volume: loud instruments like oboes, trumpets, and sackbuts were for outdoor festivals, while quiet instruments like lutes, viols, and spinets were for intimate indoor use.

Daily life

Tall and narrow city housing

Ordinary Paris houses were tall, narrow structures of four or five stories, built with stone foundations, exposed wooden frames, and white plaster facades to prevent fires.