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John, Prince of Schleswig-Holstein

Haderslevhus, 9 Jul 1583 – Moscow, 28 Oct 1602

8 facts2 sources

Facts and their sources

A life in time

  1. 9 Jul 1583

    Born in Haderslevhus

  2. 28 Oct 1602

    Dies in Moscow, aged 19

Family

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Parents

During his lifetime

He lived through 3 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around Haderslevhus.

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

The 1580s · John, is born in Haderslevhus

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

Lighting homes with pine splinters

In many households, people used resinous pine splinters called "stikved" for light, which could even be held in the mouth to keep both hands free while working. Ordinary people often relied solely on the glow from the open hearth after dark.

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

Popular Music and Instruments at Gatherings

Musicians, often called pipers, frequently played pipe and drum simultaneously at weddings and social gatherings, using instruments like the shawm, which was a popular domestic instrument.

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.