Ulrika Eleonora of Denmark

At the table

Common breakfast of beer porridge

A common breakfast for many, including school children, consisted of warm beer and bread porridge, sometimes served with butter.

What people wore

Everyday footwear and trousers

Peasant men often wore knickers made from tanned buckskin, and both men and women typically wore clogs for everyday and festive activities.

Getting around

Cost of travel and accommodation

For official travel, the cost of an overnight stay with meals was 17 skilling, equivalent to what a good worker earned in two weeks of labor on Copenhagen's fortifications.

What it cost

Daily Wages for Workers

In the 1650s, a laborer typically earned about 16 to 24 skilling per day, while a master mason could earn 36 to 40 skilling daily.

Music

Town musicians held exclusive performance rights

Privileged town musicians held a monopoly on all paid musical performances for citizens and farmers, often charging for their services at weddings and feasts.

Daily life

Water and Beer Consumption

Drinking water was often contaminated due to proximity to waste and latrines, leading many to avoid plain water in favor of beer, which was a standard beverage for all social classes.