Prince Karl Gustav of Sweden

At the table

Communal eating and scheduled weekly menus

Families often shared meals from a single communal bowl, and menus followed a strict schedule, such as eating fish on Fridays. Common dishes included pea soup with sausage or meat, turnip dishes, and grain porridges.

What people wore

Strict fashion laws for commoners

During the 1600s, Swedish commoners were strictly forbidden from using silk fabrics or other exclusive materials in public, with violators facing fines or imprisonment on bread and water.

Getting around

Winter Sled Travel

Travel was significantly faster and more common in winter, as people used sleds to travel across frozen lakes and rivers. In some coastal regions, travelers could cover 7 to 9 mil (approximately 70 to 90 kilometers) in a single day.

What it cost

Price of bread and meat in Ångermanland

In Ångermanland, a single loaf of bread was valued at 2 öre, while 1 liter of meat cost 24 öre.

Music

Polska vs minuet for classes

The polska dance was recorded in 1673 and was considered suitable for peasants, unlike the upper-class minuet, which required graceful bows and movements.

Daily life

Living in small, dark, shared wooden homes

Rural homes were often small, dimly lit, unpainted wooden houses with turf roofs, where one main room served as living, sleeping, and cooking space for the whole family and sometimes their livestock during winter.