Karl Edvard von Hessenstein

Getting around

Special saddles for women riders

Women commonly used special saddles (tvärsadlar) for travel, which allowed them to sit with both legs on the same side of the horse, rather than riding astride.

Daily life

Simple wooden cottage construction

Ordinary rural homes were typically built of wood planks, often with clay packed into the joints to seal gaps, and featured thatched roofs. Inside, peasant cottages typically had only one window on the gable and one on the long wall.

What people wore

Festive men's leather breeches

For festive occasions, men in some areas wore leather breeches tied below the knee with colorful, tasseled ribbons and knee-high boots with red heels.

Music

Folk instruments and church singing style

Common folk instruments in this period included the nyckelharpa, hurdy-gurdy, and drums, while country church congregational singing was often described by clergy as shrill and heterophonous.

At the table

Salted food and diluted beer consumption

Food was often heavily salted for preservation, particularly meat and fish, which provided essential protein alongside dairy. People commonly drank large quantities of beer, often diluted with water, as a standard daily beverage.