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Wolfgang William, Count Palatine of Neuburg

Neuburg an der Donau, 4 Nov 1578 – Düsseldorf, 20 Mar 1653

10 facts3 sources

Facts and their sources

A life in time

  1. 4 Nov 1578

    Born in Neuburg an der Donau

  2. 24 Nov 1615

    A son is born

  3. 20 Mar 1653

    Dies in Düsseldorf, aged 74

Family

See the tree

Parents

Partners

Children · 1

During his lifetime

He lived through 9 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around Neuburg an der Donau.

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

The 1570s · Wolfgang is born in Neuburg an der Donau

In the news1572

Banking house collapse ruins economy (1572)

The collapse of the major merchant and banking house Loitz in Stettin in 1572 caused widespread economic turmoil throughout the region of Pomerania.

Getting around

Walking as the primary mode of transport

Most ordinary people traveled on foot, often covering 20 to 30 kilometers in a day.

In the news1575

Smallpox and measles epidemic (1575)

A widespread outbreak of smallpox and measles occurred in Holstein in 1575, severely impacting the lives of local families.

Daily life

Kitchen stoves and built-in water cisterns

Many modest kitchens lacked open hearths, instead using a large, soot-covered stove in a separate room that served for both cooking and heating. Some of these stoves featured built-in water cisterns that provided hot water and a place to boil food like dumplings.

What people wore

Clothing as an Investment and Charity Gift

Ordinary people took great care of their clothing, which was considered an investment; garments were frequently passed down, gifted, or sold second-hand rather than discarded. In a 1577 charitable donation in Nuremberg, 100 poor men each received a standardized, durable outfit consisting of a black wool coat, a black wool waistcoat, black wool trousers, a black hat, a white linen shirt, and a pair of shoes.

Music

Moralizing Italian dance songs for students

Teachers and pastors replaced erotic texts of popular Italian dance-songs with moral or devotional words to create acceptable music for schoolboys to sing.

At the table

Grains and vegetables as staples

For ordinary families, grains served as the foundation of the diet in the form of porridges or coarse breads. Vegetables such as turnips, cabbage, and onions were essential daily staples, often cooked with lard or bacon.