Sophie Christiane Gyldenløve

At the table

Beer consumption in daily life

Beer was an essential part of the daily diet, consumed morning, afternoon, and evening by people of all social classes. Adults typically consumed at least twelve barrels of beer per year.

What people wore

Everyday clothing colors and materials

Peasant men wore non-dyed, greyish homespun clothes for everyday work, while women typically wore black or dark blue daily garments. Both genders commonly wore clogs for both everyday and festive activities.

Getting around

Cost of travel and accommodation

For official travel, the cost of an overnight stay with meals was 17 skilling, equivalent to what a good worker earned in two weeks of labor on Copenhagen's fortifications.

What it cost

Rye bread price in the 1600s

In the 1600s, a pound of rye bread typically cost 1 to 2 skilling, though prices could rise significantly during grain shortages.

Music

Town musicians held exclusive performance rights

Privileged town musicians held a monopoly on all paid musical performances for citizens and farmers, often charging for their services at weddings and feasts.

Daily life

Limited schooling for ordinary children

In Copenhagen's Nyboder district, children often received no schooling and were instead sent to work, although boys enrolled in naval-related schools starting at age six eventually received higher quality education.