Christian III of Denmark

What people wore

Everyday and Sunday Best Clothing

Most people owned at least two sets of clothing, keeping one for everyday work and another cleaner set for church and social events. Clothing was frequently patched and mended, with garments and good linen undergarments often bequeathed to heirs.

Daily life

Central hearths for light and cooking

The primary source of light, heat, and cooking in many homes was a central indoor campfire, as open hearths were common in smaller dwellings. Wealthier urban households sometimes had their own wells and used specialized kitchen equipment like bronze mortars for grinding spices and three-legged Dutch ovens, known as Grapen, for roasting or stewing.

Work

Daily wages for laborers in Zwickau

Day laborers in Zwickau performing tasks like weeding or planting hops earned 8 pfennige per day with board, or 16 pfennige without it.

Music

Carnival Dances and Singing Traditions

During the Nuremberg carnival, butchers performed a traditional round dance in public, which was supported by the city council and accompanied by professional town pipers. Dancers also frequently sang as they performed in these rounds, although some city councils prohibited the singing of shameful songs during the festivities.

At the table

Laborer purchasing power in 1500s Augsburg

In Augsburg, a day laborer's daily wage could purchase six pounds of meat or seven eggs, a peck of peas, and a quart of wine, alongside bread.

Getting around

Traveling primarily on foot

Most ordinary people traveled on foot, covering about 20 to 30 kilometers per day, as they could not afford horses or carriages.

What it cost

Meat prices and daily wages

A daily wage for a laborer in Augsburg was equivalent to the value of 5 to 6 pounds of the best meat. In Bavaria, one pound of the best beef cost 2 pfennige, while a day laborer earned 18 pfennige daily.