Frederick III of Denmark

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

Managing Household Waste

When a toilet in a Copenhagen study house was cleaned in 1621, 131 loads of waste were removed, costing 34 dalers and 11 skilling. Households often relied on deep wells or barrels in the ground for waste, which had to be emptied when full.

Work

Peasant household tasks and ploughing teams

Peasant households were the basic economic unit, with men ploughing, sowing, and harvesting, while women managed livestock, butter, beer, and bread production. In the early 17th century, a typical ploughing team required four horses and two men to handle the heavy work.

Music

Singing folk ballads was common entertainment

In the early 17th century, the vast majority of common people relied on singing old folk ballads (folkeviser) as their primary form of music at home and at gatherings. A letter from 1609 notes that people used these ancient verses and songs to enhance the joy of all feasts and social meetings.

At the table

Bread was baked monthly in community ovens

Ordinary households relied on community ovens to bake large batches of bread only once a month.

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.