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Barbara Szembeck

Kraków, 1709 – Versailles, 18 May 1762

5 facts1 source

Facts and their sources

  • Born1709, Krakównot verified1 source
  • Died18 May 1762, Versaillesnot verified1 source

A life in time

  1. 1709

    Born in Kraków

  2. 28 Dec 1742

    A son is born

  3. 18 May 1762

    Dies in Versailles

Family

See the tree

Partner

Children · 1

During her lifetime

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

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

The 1700s · Barbara is born in Kraków

In the news1707–1710

Plague pandemic of 1707–1710

A devastating plague pandemic swept across Poland between 1707 and 1710, claiming 9,000 lives in Poznań alone and causing the local authorities in Lublin to execute grave robbers accused of spreading the disease.

What people wore

Coral necklaces and wooden clogs

In Biskupizna, women complemented their daily and festive outfits with high-value coral necklaces and wore wooden clogs for footwear.

Getting around

Slow Daily Travel Pace

Land journeys were slow and difficult, averaging only 25 to 30 kilometers per day for most travelers, often due to poor roads and lack of comfortable inns.

War of the Spanish Succession. Europe’s powers fought for thirteen years over who would inherit the Spanish throne; a Bourbon kept it, and Britain gained Gibraltar.In Europe · 1701–1714

War of the Spanish Succession. Europe’s powers fought for thirteen years over who would inherit the Spanish throne; a Bourbon kept it, and Britain gained Gibraltar.

DavidDijkgraaf · CC0

In the news1709–1710

The Great Winter of 1709

The Great Winter of 1709 brought extreme cold and severe famine to France, marking one of the century's worst economic crises.

Music

Carnival Sleigh Rides and Masquerade Balls

During the carnival season, noblemen organized sleigh rides from mansion to mansion, accompanied by musicians playing dance music; these festivities included balls where guests sometimes wore costumes of peasants, Jews, and Gypsies.

Daily life

Dining customs and table utensils

People ate primarily from shared wooden bowls using their fingers or wooden spoons, as individual plates and forks were rare; guests were often expected to bring their own knife and spoon to a feast. Glassware and fine ceramics only began to replace traditional metal cups and dishes during the 18th century.