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Balthasar Charles

Madrid, 17 Oct 1629 – Zaragoza, 9 Oct 1646

10 facts3 sources

Facts and their sources

  • Born17 Oct 1629, Madridnot verified1 source
  • TitleDuchy of Montblancor Prince of Asturias, 1632–1646not verified1 source
  • TitlePrince of Asturias, 1632–1646or Duchy of Montblancnot verified1 source
  • Died9 Oct 1646, Zaragozanot verified1 source
  • MotherElisabeth of Francenot verified1 source
  • FatherPhilip IV of Spainnot verified1 source

A life in time

  1. 17 Oct 1629

    Born in Madrid

  2. 1632–1646

    Prince of Asturias

  3. 9 Oct 1646

    Dies in Zaragoza, aged 16

Family

See the tree

Parents

During his lifetime

He lived through 3 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around Madrid.

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

The 1620s · Balthasar is born in Madrid

In the news1627

First royal bankruptcy in 1627

In 1627, Spain was forced to declare its first bankruptcy due to the insupportable military strain on the monarchy's resources.

Getting around

Freight carts daily travel speed

Freight carts typically carried up to 1,000 pounds of cargo and traveled at a speed of ten to twelve miles per day.

In the news1628

Dutch capture treasure fleet in 1628

In 1628, the Dutch captured the entire American treasure fleet at the Cuban bay of Matanzas, severely impacting the Crown's finances.

Daily life

Cooking in the kitchen

Cooking was done over low-burning fireplaces, using iron trivets to support pots or a "llar" chain to hang caldrons. Food was often prepared and eaten in the kitchen, which served as a primary gathering space for poorer families.

What people wore

The high cost of fashionable hats

A beaver hat from Paris could be so expensive that its cost equaled the price of six mantles for poor widows to attend mass.

Music

Taborers Guiding Festival Dancers

Taborers were hired for festivals like Corpus Christi to guide dancers, often charging for their services by performing in town streets or during processions.

At the table

The staple olla stew for commoners

The staple dish for commoners was a thick stew known as olla, which was simmered for hours and often thickened with flour made from wheat or millet, popularly called flour of the poor. It typically consisted of available legumes, such as chickpeas, beans, or fava beans, and vegetables like turnips.