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Ernest, Landgrave of Hesse-Rheinfels

Kassel, 8 Dec 1623 – Cologne, 2 May 1693

8 facts2 sources

Facts and their sources

A life in time

  1. 8 Dec 1623

    Born in Kassel

  2. 15 May 1648

    A son is born

  3. 2 May 1693

    Dies in Cologne, aged 69

Family

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Parents

Partners

Children · 1

During his lifetime

He lived through 8 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around Kassel.

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

The 1620s · Ernest, is born in Kassel

In the news1618–1623

The Kipper and Wipper Economic Crisis

Between 1618 and 1623, Germany suffered the Kipper and Wipper economic crisis, where rulers debased coins by reducing silver content, causing rapid inflation. This made it impossible for people with fixed incomes, such as teachers and pensioners, to afford basic living expenses.

At the table

Salted Herring as a Daily Staple

Salted herring was a vital, affordable protein source for ordinary people, with a single fish costing 2 alb. It served as a staple alongside bread and cheese to supplement grain-based diets.

What people wore

Bavarian laws restricted everyday clothing materials

In 1626, Bavarian law strictly forbade common people, laborers, and farmers from wearing expensive fabrics like crimson-dyed cloth, gold or silver trimmings, or silk ribbons. Farmers were instead directed to use domestic wool, sheepskin, or calfskin and were permitted only simple linen collars without lace or fringe.

Getting around

River Travel Was Often the Fastest Option

Traveling by boat downstream on rivers like the Danube was the fastest method, sometimes covering up to 150 kilometers in 24 hours.

What it cost

Cost of footwear around 1620

A pair of men's shoes in 1620 Schaumburg cost 17 Mariengroschen, and in 1622 Pomerania, simple shoes cost 20 Schilling.

Music

Weekly Music in Villages

In rural villages, musicians and singers performed church music every Sunday, and they even held dance events in local taverns.

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.