Elizabeth Oldenburg

What people wore

Elsinore butcher's extensive linen collection

In 1607, a butcher in Elsinore owned items including 5 shirts, 5 ruffs, 2 handkerchiefs, 3 pillowcases, and various types of linen bedding and yarn.

Daily life

Drinking Beer Instead of Water

Water was often contaminated, so adults and children preferred to drink weak beer; it was sometimes even forbidden to drink from wells.

Work

Mandatory unpaid labor for tenant farmers

In the mid-17th century, many tenant peasants were obligated to perform at least one day of unpaid labour per week for their landlords, known as weekday men. This work included strenuous tasks like felling trees, digging ditches, and repairing fences, sometimes even using their own horses and wagons.

Music

Shawms, citherns, and flutes were popular

Instruments such as the shawm (skalmeje), cithern, and various flutes were popular in both public and private life. In some cases, people even used these for entertainment during drinking sessions, though such secular music was often viewed with hostility by the church.

At the table

Salted herring was a daily staple food

Ordinary people frequently ate salted herring for every meal, as it was a durable and accessible protein source.

Getting around

Standard day's journey of four miles

A Danish mile, used as a measure for travel, was approximately 7.5 kilometers, and four miles were considered a standard day's journey.

What it cost

Rye bread price in the 1600s

In the 1600s, a pound of rye bread typically cost 1 to 2 skilling, though prices could rise significantly during grain shortages.