John, King of Denmark

What people wore

Slitted fashion trends

By 1544, a popular, albeit impractical, fashion trend involved cutting long, narrow slits into clothing to reveal the layers worn underneath. Even young children were expected to wear these strange, cut-out garments as soon as they could walk.

Daily life

Avoiding Drinking Water

It was common to avoid drinking water in Denmark; beer was preferred even by children because water was often considered unsafe due to poor sanitation and contamination in wells. If water had to be consumed, experts like Henrik Ranzau recommended boiling it slowly first to remove its impurities.

Work

Beer as a dietary staple

Because unboiled water was often unhealthy and milk was scarce, beer was the most common daily drink for the population.

Music

Pipes and Drums in Social Gatherings

Drums and pipes were used much more frequently than today, not only for military purposes but also at weddings and other social gatherings. A skilled musician, often called a piper, frequently played the pipe and small drum simultaneously.

At the table

Two simple daily meals

Ordinary families ate two main meals a day, usually centered around porridge, bread, and simple meat or fish dishes.

Getting around

Limited capacity of peasant wagons

Peasant wagons used for transport were very small, typically carrying only about 100 bricks or one to two barrels of grain per load.

What it cost

Prices of poultry in 1510

In 1510, a goose could be purchased for 1 skilling dansk, while a hen cost 6 penninge dansk.