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Ludwig Kasimir, Reichserbschenk und Herr zu Limpurg-Obersontheim

5 Aug 1611 – 3 Oct 1645

7 facts1 source

Facts and their sources

A life in time

  1. 5 Aug 1611

    Born

  2. 10 Oct 1639

    A daughter is born

  3. 3 Oct 1645

    Dies, aged 34

Family

See the tree

Parents

Children · 1

During his lifetime

He lived through 4 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like.

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

The 1610s · Ludwig is born

In the news1618–1648

Destruction of the Thirty Years' War

The Thirty Years' War, lasting from 1618 to 1648, caused a demographic catastrophe where roughly one-third of urban residents and two-fifths of the rural population perished. Soldiers and camp followers frequently destroyed crops and seized food, leading to widespread famine and forcing villagers to abandon their land.

At the table

Daily porridge served as the staple meal

Porridge was the primary daily meal, often cooked in large batches and reheated, leading to a tough consistency. Ordinary families ate it by reaching into a shared bowl with their hands.

What people wore

Everyday Women's Clothing Basics

An everyday women's outfit consisted of a white shirt, a colored bodice called a Brustlein, a skirt known as an Unterrock, and a white apron. The Brustlein was often sold as ready-to-wear, while the skirt required a tailor.

Getting around

Walking and riding were primary modes of travel

Most ordinary people traveled on foot, taking 20 to 40 kilometers per day, while wealthier individuals rode horses or traveled in carriages.

Work

Long work days and child labor

During summer, work began by 5:00 AM or earlier, with tasks continuing until dark and minimal breaks. Children as young as five to nine years old, often called servants, contributed by herding animals, spinning, fetching water, or caring for younger children.

Music

Town Pipers and Their Daily Music

Town pipers, or Stadtpfeifer, were essential figures who performed at weddings, festivals, and church services using a variety of instruments like cornetts, sackbuts, and crumhorns. They also served as city watchmen, playing brass fanfares from towers to mark the time or announce events.

Daily life

Limited and seasonal schooling for children

There was no general compulsory education, and rural schools were often only attended in winter because children were required to work on farms during the summer. Instruction focused primarily on memorizing the Bible to learn how to pray and read scripture, with writing and arithmetic taught only afterward if at all.