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Frederick, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sønderburg-Norburg

Sønderborg, 26 Nov 1581 – Nordborg, 22 Jul 1658

9 facts2 sources

Facts and their sources

A life in time

  1. 26 Nov 1581

    Born in Sønderborg

  2. 24 May 1634

    A daughter is born

  3. 22 Jul 1658

    Dies in Nordborg, aged 76

Family

See the tree

Parents

Partners

Children · 1

During his lifetime

He lived through 8 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around Sønderborg.

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

The 1580s · Frederick, is born in Sønderborg

In the news1580–1581

Spanish Pip epidemic kills many

An infectious disease known locally as the Spanish Pip caused high mortality across the Nordic region, including killing a third of the population on Nordstrand.

Getting around

Perilous boat crossings of the Belt

Crossing the Great Belt could be treacherous, requiring passengers to hire rowboats and sometimes wait days for calm weather, while ice might necessitate passengers walking on frozen patches.

In the news1583–1585

Deadly epidemic hits Copenhagen

A severe typhus-like epidemic hit Copenhagen in 1583, leading to an average of 46 deaths per day in August.

Daily life

School children paid for funeral singing

Students from Latin schools, such as those in Copenhagen, would attend funerals to sing; for two lessons, the school was paid 1 old Daler, while the use of a high-quality English cloth over the deceased could increase the payment to 2.5 Dalers.

What people wore

Clothing as economic currency for artisans

Artisan families in towns like Elsinore used clothing as economic currency that could be turned into cash, and inventories show that garments were personal assets of significant value.

Music

Noble Dances and Festive Performances

Dancing was a central part of nobility education, featuring the stately pavane, the cheerful chain-dance called bransle, and the gaillarde, an improvised leaping dance in 6/8 time. In 1577, a popular "fool's dance" was performed at the Copenhagen Castle courtyard for the King and his guests.

At the table

Kale sustained families through winter

Kale was a vital vitamin source for ordinary people because it was the only vegetable that could survive outdoors all winter. Consequently, home gardens were often referred to as kale-yards.