Questions tagged [17th-century]
The 17th century was the century which lasted from January 1, 1601 to December 31, 1700 in the Gregorian calendar.
103
questions
1
vote
0answers
70 views
Is there a historical example or a manuscript about troop formation or fighting stance on a boat?
Is there a historical example or a manuscript about troop formation or fighting stance on any sort of boat or ship?
especially during colonialism or golden age of pirate, no specific location so ...
4
votes
1answer
123 views
Did the Portuguese Crown sponsor Brazilian gold-seeking expeditions (bandeiras) in the 17th century?
The end of the 17th century is the beginning of the gold rush in Brazil. Shortly before there were expeditions (bandeiras) of explorers (later called bandeirantes) who were seeking precious minerals ...
0
votes
1answer
125 views
William Penn and the Frame of Government of Pennsylvania
William Penn wrote three different frames of government documents. All three are different, so therefore which one do we go by? How do we read them? And which one is the final document that PA uses?
34
votes
6answers
7k views
Fermat's statement about the ancients: How serious was he?
I am extremely interested in the idea that there was a period in time when, at least in the west, people looked upon the ancients (Romans/Greeks) as possessors of wisdom that had been lost. Fermat ...
2
votes
1answer
188 views
What was the relationship between Ottoman emperor Murat IV and his mother Kosem Sultan?
Was the relationship between Murat IV and his mother Kosem Sultan really bad? Did Kosem Sultan intervene a lot when her son assumed absolute power?
5
votes
1answer
206 views
Was there a coup in the Netherlands in 1672?
From 1650 to 1672, the Dutch Republic lacked a stadtholder because the Government was dominated by Republicans who didn’t want William Prince of Orange to become stadtholder.
However in 1672, during ...
2
votes
1answer
96 views
What do we know about Hennig Brand's family?
What do we know about Hennig Brand's family? He is credited with the discovery of Phosphorus of course, but it appears he was married twice during his life. Did he have any children, and if so do we ...
5
votes
1answer
112 views
What were John Milton's daily reading habits?
In a college course on John Milton, I believe I remember the professor saying that Milton had an extremely rigorous daily reading schedule, something like one hour of Greek and two hours of Hebrew ...
4
votes
1answer
199 views
Is the historical consensus that Galileo did not drop balls from the Leaning Tower of Pisa?
A narrative commonly taught in schools and propagated in books is that Galileo Galilei "dropped two spheres of different masses from the Leaning Tower of Pisa to demonstrate that their time of descent ...
5
votes
1answer
343 views
Do we have any authentic Native American flute music from the 18th century or earlier?
Just wondering if any actual music from Native Americans was recorded (written record, transcribed to some kind of sheet music) by Europeans, in the 18th century or earlier. I'm especially interested ...
2
votes
1answer
273 views
What is the earliest mention of use of spyglass by seafarers?
I am somewhat familiar with history of telescope in the scientific context however didn't find much info about history of its use for practical purposes beyond general statements. I'm more interested ...
37
votes
5answers
7k views
Why didn't line infantry tactics try to keep up a constant volley of fire?
Often in movies on the American revolution and back when muskets were common place the opposing armies would line up facing each other and take turns firing. One side, then the other. Kind of like a ...
5
votes
1answer
336 views
Did Jean-Baptiste Colbert, Finance Minister of Louis XIV, sanction mass executions for reasons of economic policies?
In his book, The Mystery of Capitalism, author De Soto claims that Jean-Baptiste Colbert, Finance Minister under Louis XIV, had people executed for economic reasons. Colbert is still a widely admired ...
-4
votes
2answers
411 views
Who is the first person in the 17th century to describe themselves as a “white” person and who invented the term “white race”?
According to the Wikipedia article entitled White people
The concept of a unified white race did not achieve universal
acceptance in Europe when it first came into use in the 17th century,
or ...
4
votes
1answer
91 views
Late 17th century colonial Anglican pastor
I am preparing to play an Anglican pastor/priest at a live-action role-playing game. The (pretend) location: an English colonial outpost in the Caribbean. The (pretend) time period: circa 1695. And ...
7
votes
1answer
427 views
What 17C protocol left a princess standing whilst commoners sat?
I am reading WILLIAM AND MARY by John Van Der Kiste 2008, 2011, in which he relates William III's reluctant plans to remarry after Mary II's death. This was to ensure the Protestant succession after ...
5
votes
0answers
111 views
How did life for commoners in Okinawa change with the Satsuma invasion?
In 1609, the kingdom of Ryukyu which covers what is today known as Okinawa, was invaded by the Japanese Satsuma clan.
How did this affect the everyday life of commoners (Everybody not noble or a ...
7
votes
2answers
898 views
Were there ever instances of sailors pressed into British service in Europe ending up in the Caribbean?
I am working on a story in which I wanted to include a character who was pressed into the British Navy in 1790's England, and ended up on a ship headed to the Caribbean. This is a pretty integral ...
4
votes
1answer
688 views
What are these “Papal States” in Germany after 1648?
I don't usually watch this person's videos, but I couldn't find another one. What do the "Papal States" in Germany after the Peace of Westphalia represent? I especially want to know what affected the ...
5
votes
1answer
222 views
Was it widespread during the 17th and 18th Century for British country people to be evicted and replaced with more profitable agriculture?
We can read about the Scottish Highland clearances. It does appear that the driving motivation was that sheep pastures were more profitable.
This was the time of the Industrial Revolution, when many ...
-1
votes
1answer
222 views
What was the heaviest example of horse armor (barding) from 16th and 17th centuries?
I would like to ask what the heaviest known example of armor for war horses is. Specifically, I'm asking about horse-armor in the 16th and 17th centuries (European, primarily, but I will accept other ...
2
votes
0answers
136 views
How far were early grenades thrown in the 17th century?
Early grenades weighed about three pounds, apparently, and were generally thrown by tall, strong men. I haven't been able to find a figure on how far they were normally thrown, at what range they were ...
28
votes
5answers
5k views
Was the Dutch State independent when the Dutch East India Company was founded?
How were The Dutch able to build a successful trading empire by 1602 (with The Dutch East India Company) if the Dutch State gained independence after the Thirty Year's War in 1648?
The war ends in ...
8
votes
1answer
202 views
How do I interpret this 17th century English ledger?
I'm an auditor. A colleague and I were discussing some 17th century English ledgers (pictured below). These come from the English Levant Company. However, we aren't sure how to interpret them. How ...
6
votes
1answer
529 views
What did Catesby and crew expect to do after the explosion?
In Britain, we are taught in school about the Gunpowder Plot, the events that led to it and to Fawkes's capture on November 5th 1605 under the Houses of Parliament and the gradual round-up of the co-...
6
votes
2answers
699 views
How did Tenures Abolition Act of 1660 change feudalism in England?
The Tenures Abolition Act of 1660, according to Wikipedia, "changed the nature of feudal land tenure in England". It:
.. replaced various types of military and religious service tenants owed to the ...
18
votes
3answers
6k views
What did the top minds of the late 17th century have to say about Salem witch trials?
I think of Newton, Hooke, Leibniz, Wren, Locke -- assuming they knew hard to believe they would not have thought it crazy but I have read nothing about Newton, et al saying anything.
4
votes
1answer
178 views
When Janszoon's expedition landed in Australia in 1606, which one-person weapons (if any) were carried?
Basically what the title says. Wikipedia mentions early 17th century exploration of New Holland beginning in the first few years of the 1600s, but insofar as I can tell doesn't really go into what was ...
12
votes
1answer
503 views
17th century Japanese colonies in Southeast Asia?
After a period of exposure to European interests, Japan secluded itself in the 1630s. George Lensen wrote in "The Russian Push Towards Japan":
On the eve of her seclusion, Japan had begun to expand ...
7
votes
2answers
1k views
What was the price of going from England to New England as a passenger in the 1600s?
Lots of places mention that traveling to New England was so expensive that many people became indentured servants to get across, but I couldn't find a place that actually says how expensive it was.
2
votes
1answer
96 views
Did Free Masons hold Enlightenment ideals?
I was doing research on early US presidents and read that men like George Washington probably were attracted to the Masonic Lodge due to the Lodge aligning well with popular Enlightenment ideas around ...
2
votes
1answer
171 views
How many people were needed to build a country house?
After visiting the Wimpole Estate in England, I'm wondering how many people would have been needed to make such a project viable.
The country house on the site today started construction in 1640, ...
2
votes
0answers
175 views
Can anyone identify this painting of a Cossack? [closed]
Can anyone identify the name and artist of this painting?
3
votes
0answers
271 views
Was there any restriction on private citizens owning cannons and other large weaponry in 17th, 18th and 19th century Europe? [closed]
Were there laws limiting what kind of guns a private citizen in Europe could own? Could John Doe go to a shop and commission a cannon to be made for his own personal use?
4
votes
0answers
158 views
Around 1640s, at what time did people eat Christmas dinner?
To my knowledge, in the past, people used to go to bed earlier; usually at sunset.
My question is, around 1640s, when candles were used to light the interiors of buildings, at what time of day did ...
0
votes
1answer
102 views
Is there any resource to learn interiors of a house for particular classes in 17th Century in Bohemia?
I would like to learn details of the living places for particular classes and professions in Bohemia in 17th Century. (For example a burgher, or carpenter guild master etc.)
I try some novels written ...
10
votes
3answers
2k views
Did 17th Cent. French Gentlemen Necessarily Use a Scabbard for Dress Swords?
I'm costuming a show that takes place in the 17th century, Paris, "Cavalier" period, as far as costumes go. I can't seem to find a conclusive answer regarding whether the gentlemen need to have a ...
13
votes
2answers
767 views
Why did Charles I not borrow abroad?
The reign of Charles I of England can be summarized to a large degree as a continued attempt to raise revenue without authorization from Parliament. As is well known, Charles and his advisers had to ...
13
votes
6answers
1k views
What is the flag in this 17th century painting?
I'm doing research on a painting 'Koppertjesmaandag' by Adriaen van Nieulandt in 1633. In the right corner of the painting you can see a couple of ships with their flags. One in particular is a gold ...
7
votes
1answer
339 views
Religion in European international politics after the Peace of Westphalia?
Thirty Years' War started out as a war of religion, and then almost all European entities got involved in it. It was concluded by the Peace of Westphalia in 1648, which led to a great deal of changes ...
12
votes
1answer
439 views
Why were cobblers so radical?
Peter Ackroyd writes on page 88 of his account of the English Civil War:
Cobblers were well known for their radical Protestant sympathies.
What was so special about cobblers?
13
votes
1answer
2k views
What was a “searcher” associated with a funeral in 1690?
Life In A Noble Household 1641-1700 by Gladys Scott-Thomson, 1937, analyses the household accounts of William Russell, 1st Duke of Bedford. On page 236 is listed an entry from December 1690 where the ...
3
votes
1answer
175 views
Did the legal principle of conflict of interest exist in the 17th century?
17th century Europe saw many trials related to Catholic-Protestant disagreements. Was the legal principle of conflict of interest operative at the time, so that for example the same person could not ...
1
vote
1answer
183 views
When did the Hudson Bay get its current name in French?
In French, the Hudson Bay is called "La baie d'Hudson". Apparently it was originally called "mer du Nord" (North Sea) in the 1600's, the according to its french wiki page.
Now obviously, Henry Hudson ...
6
votes
1answer
237 views
How were city government and law enforcement authorities organized in Northern Italy in the 17th century?
How was it all actually working there, in the dark 16xx-s?
Who was the major of a town, what was his duties and capabilities?
How were laws issued?
How was organized the analog of police: a city ...
0
votes
1answer
243 views
At the Battle of Augusta, how did the French learn that de Ruyter was mortally wounded?
According to Wikipedia, in the Battle of Augusta (1676)
The battle was a short but intense affair and ended abruptly when
Duquesne, after hearing that De Ruyter had been mortally wounded,
...
8
votes
0answers
518 views
What other courts were similar to Louis XIV of France's court in Versailles?
After reading about feudalism in the Middle Ages it became apparent that lords lived on their lands far away from the king and provided military services themselves in exchange for said lands. However,...
2
votes
1answer
96 views
Book about Glorious Revolution
I am currently reading Acemoglu, Daron & Robinson, James: Why Nations Fail, which made me want to read more about the Glorious Revolution of 1688. I am particularly interested in an economic ...
3
votes
0answers
217 views
How was Virginia transformed from a society with slaves, to a slave society? [closed]
Not sure what the main answer to this question.
I know Bacon's rebellion changed the lives of many poor whites with no land.
Also, there were the slave laws which I need to do more research on.
2
votes
0answers
165 views
How many wives did John Thurloe have – or did he have a mistress?
John Thurloe - Cromwell's Spy Chief
Most sources say two, but I suspect these all derive from the introduction Birch edition of the State Papers being “a lady of the Peyton family”- first name unknown ...
