Henrik Vasa av Sverige

Getting around

Slow travel and meal costs

Travel could be very slow, with one group taking five hours to cover just two miles because of deep snow. Guests at the parish-appointed inns paid for their meals with two 'Rondstuckh', which were worth about four Kreuzer.

Daily life

Education and work at home

Formal schooling was not available for ordinary children; they learned life skills and Christian catechism at home or through work, as schools were generally reserved for a few boys of higher status. Children were expected to contribute to the household economy from a young age through tasks like spinning wool, tending animals, or manual labor.

What people wore

Working dress for women

Peasant women often worked in long linen chemises, sometimes tying a knot in the skirt to move more easily while performing daily tasks.

Music

Ring dances and communal singing at festivals

People enjoyed singing and dancing in rings or long rows, often in open fields or village squares, during festivities and family celebrations.

At the table

Daily Diet of Ordinary Families

Ordinary families typically ate two meals a day, consisting of staples like porridge, bread, cabbage, peas, turnips, and various fish or meat. Beer was a standard drink consumed by people of all ages, often starting in the morning.