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Duke Alexander of Württemberg

Riga, 20 Dec 1804 – Bayreuth, 28 Oct 1881

8 facts3 sources

Facts and their sources

A life in time

  1. 20 Dec 1804

    Born in Riga

  2. 30 Jul 1838

    A son is born

  3. 28 Oct 1881

    Dies in Bayreuth, aged 76

Family

See the tree

Parents

Partner

Children · 1

During his lifetime

He lived through 9 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around Riga.

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

The 1800s · Duke is born in Riga

In the news1804

Livonia Law on Peasants of 1804

The 1804 Law on Peasants in the Governorate of Livonia established a system of peasant courts, allowing peasants to sue in court and manage their own local government.

Getting around

Common modes of travel

Traveling by horse-drawn carriage was the most common method, and for those who could afford it, the diligence (stagecoach) was a popular option for longer routes.

At the table

Daily military food rations in 1809

In 1809, authorities increased the mandatory daily food ration for traveling recruits and soldiers to 18 kopecks, consisting of 3 pounds (about 1.23 kg) of bread and approximately 0.11 liters of cooked groats.

The Napoleonic Wars. Napoleon’s armies redrew the map of Europe from Spain to Moscow; his invasion of Portugal sent its court to Rio de Janeiro.In Europe · 1803–1815

The Napoleonic Wars. Napoleon’s armies redrew the map of Europe from Spain to Moscow; his invasion of Portugal sent its court to Rio de Janeiro.

Ruedi33a · CC BY-SA 4.0

What people wore

Handmade Pastalas and Woven Summer Shoes

Latvians wore handmade leather footwear called pastalas, which were simple, flat, sandal-like shoes made from a single piece of leather pulled together with strings. In the summer, peasants sometimes substituted these with shoes woven from flexible willow or hazel branches.

Music

Women's rattle-stick instruments

Women accompanied wedding songs using rattle-sticks, such as the trideksnis, which consisted of wooden sticks with hanging metal jingles and bells.

Daily life

Seasonal schooling and untrained teachers

Compulsory primary schooling existed, but children often only attended school in winter because they were needed for farm work and animal herding the rest of the year. Teachers were often untrained individuals, such as former soldiers or weavers, who were appointed by local churches.