Prince Frederick William of Hesse-Kassel

At the table

Coffee preparation and traditions

Coffee was not brewed but boiled in a copper kettle and clarified with a piece of dried flounder skin. Sugar was not added to the drink; instead, a piece of brown rock candy was eaten with it.

What people wore

Cost of shawls in rigsdaler

Danish women from wealthier families occasionally bought imitation shawls for 30 to 40 rigsdaler instead of authentic French versions costing 300 to 400 rigsdaler.

Getting around

Winter travel via ice boats

Passengers crossing the Great Belt in winter used ice boats, where men had to help pull the vessel across the ice while women were exempt.

What it cost

Marriage requirements and net worth

To obtain permission to marry, a couple often needed to prove a minimum net worth of 100 to 200 guilders.

Music

Popular Dances at Weddings and Festivals

Wedding guests frequently performed the minuet, a popular dance where participants alternated between different figures and movements. Other traditional customs included chain dances like kehraus, where guests danced or ran in a long line through the house to end a party.

Daily life

Compulsory Schooling for Children

The 1814 Education Act mandated compulsory school attendance for children from age seven until confirmation at age 14. In rural areas, children often attended school only every other day to accommodate farm work, and classrooms strictly separated boys and girls.