Charles Philip, Duke of Södermanland

At the table

Everyday Staples and Preservation

Ordinary diets relied heavily on rye bread, vegetable soups thickened with flour, and preserved fish like herring or sprats. Garden crops such as cabbage, turnips, and onions were essential staples.

What people wore

Changes in 17th-century Estonian men's fashion

During the 17th century, Estonian men transitioned to wearing knee-length breeches instead of long trousers. Their festive headgear often consisted of a tall felt hat, which was a common purchase of the period.

Getting around

Postal travel speed and time

A Royal postal carriage traveling between Krakow and Vilnius typically took one week, covering the distance at an average speed of about 100 kilometers per day.

What it cost

Price of shoes around 1600

Around 1600 in Lublin, a pair of ordinary shoes cost between 15 and 80 groszy.

Music

Folk ensembles and long horns

Folk musicians formed small ensembles using native violins, drums, and horns, with some horns reaching up to fifteen feet in length.

Daily life

Modest wooden homes for ordinary people

Ordinary rural homes were modest wooden buildings that often combined living spaces with areas for storing resources, animals, and tools. Some peasants in Samogitia lived in a numas, a structure featuring a fireplace instead of a stove.