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Moritz von Anhalt-Dessau

Dessau, 1624 – Dessau, 1624

8 facts1 source

Facts and their sources

A life in time

  1. 1624

    Born in Dessau

  2. 1624

    Dies in Dessau

Family

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Parents

During his lifetime

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

The 1620s · Moritz is born in Dessau

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

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

Men's fashion favored comfort and leather boots

During the Thirty Years' War, men's fashion shifted toward comfort, featuring high-waisted doublets and wide, knee-length breeches that fell in loose folds. Soldiers and educated men alike popularized large leather boots that reached above the knee, which were often worn turned down or slouching.

Getting around

River travel offered rapid downstream movement

Traveling downstream by boat was the fastest method, sometimes covering up to 150 kilometers in 24 hours under optimal conditions.

What it cost

Food and clothing costs in 1622

In 1622 Pomerania, a pound of bacon cost 5 to 6 Schillinge, while a pair of simple shoes cost 20 Schillinge, nearly four times the price of the bacon.

Music

Regulated Wedding Celebrations

Weddings were the most significant lifetime celebrations, with music, guest lists, and food heavily regulated according to the social status of the families involved.

Daily life

Difficult access to clean water

Accessing safe drinking water was difficult; people often relied on ditches or rivers, which were contaminated by sewage and waste. Some used specialized cisterns to collect rainwater for drinking, keeping it separate from non-potable water.