Prince Christian 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

Repair and recycling of clothing

Archaeological findings in Copenhagen show that men's hats, knitted socks, and gloves were frequently repaired and reused. Wigs found in the area were likely discarded only after human hair was harvested for making new wigs.

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

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.

Music

Civic musicians and their fees

In the late 17th century, civic musicians in towns held royal privileges to provide music for weddings and gatherings, charging 6 daler for violin music or up to 16 daler to include instruments like the trumpet and dulcian.

Daily life

Limited and Specialized Schooling

Schooling was not universal; in rural areas, children often only attended school in winter, while in places like Nyboder, boys were trained as future naval workers with rye as part of their pay.