Fredrik Adolf of Sweden, Duke of Östergötland

Getting around

Winter Travel Advantage

Winter was the preferred time for long-distance travel and heavy transport, as frozen marshes, rivers, and lakes allowed for travel by sledge. In summer, poor and muddy roads made travel difficult, often forcing travelers to rely on boats or to complain about the miserable state of the roads.

Daily life

Brass covers for transporting food

To protect food from dirt and keep it warm while being carried from the kitchen wing to the dining room, servants used funnel-shaped brass covers.

What people wore

Women's work and festive dress

Women’s everyday clothing included linen chemises and woollen skirts, sometimes featuring red cloth at the hem for a decorative touch. On feast days, women wore their finest attire, such as red skirts and blue jackets, and often layered multiple silk scarves around their necks when attending church.

Music

Personal instruments were not manor house inventory

Portable instruments like violins and flutes were regarded as personal belongings of wealthy families rather than house inventory, and were not listed in manor house records.

At the table

Daily Meals of Porridge and Salted Meat

Ordinary families typically ate two meals a day, often centered on porridge made from coarse grains or flour. Meat, usually salted pork or fish, was a common protein supplement, especially when combined with pea soup or turnips.