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Elisabeth of Lorraine

Nancy, 19 Oct 1574 – Braunau am Inn, 4 Jan 1635

8 facts3 sources

Facts and their sources

A life in time

  1. 19 Oct 1574

    Born in Nancy

  2. 4 Jan 1635

    Dies in Braunau am Inn, aged 60

Family

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Parents

Partner

During her lifetime

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

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

The 1570s · Elisabeth is born in Nancy

In the news1562–1598

French Wars of Religion begin

The French Wars of Religion broke out in 1562, leading to immense loss of life through violence, famine, and disease that lasted until 1598.

Getting around

Travel speeds and horse relays

Early public carriages were slow, covering only about 48 kilometers in a day. Wealthy travelers or officials could pay to use the royal horse relay system to travel at a much faster gallop.

In the news1572

St. Bartholomew's Day massacre

The St. Bartholomew's Day massacre, a violent event in Paris in 1572, resulted in significant deaths and intensified the religious conflicts.

Daily life

Modest homes lacked modern interior conveniences

Ordinary homes often featured wooden facades and roofs with attic windows called lucarnes, while interiors had large, drafty rooms and oversized fireplaces. Significantly, even in wealthy residences, private bathrooms or nightstands did not exist.

What people wore

Servant girl's market clothing

A servant girl in Paris in 1586 wore a bonnet covered with a long cloth hood and a bodice that was laced at the front and trimmed with black velvet.

Music

Weekly court balls and dances

At the French court under Henry III, balls were held at least twice a week, featuring dances such as the pavane, the dynamic gaillarde, and the volte, where the dancer helped his partner perform an aerial leap.

At the table

Bread and soup were dietary staples

Ordinary families based their daily diet on bread, often eaten as soup by soaking pieces in water or bouillon, alongside cereal porridges or cakes. This was frequently accompanied by a companage, which was a variety of accessible foods like vegetables, legumes, cheese, or eggs.