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Princess Anna of Sweden

Eskilstuna, 27 May 1568 – Brodnica, 1625

11 facts2 sources

Facts and their sources

  • Born27 May 1568, EskilstunaRecords disagree1 source
  • Died1625, BrodnicaRecords disagree1 source
  • FatherJohn III of Swedennot verified1 source
  • MotherCatherine Jagellonnot verified1 source

A life in time

  1. 27 May 1568

    Born in Eskilstuna

  2. 1625

    Dies in Brodnica

Family

See the tree

Parents

During her lifetime

She lived through 7 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around Eskilstuna.

General history, not a record about the family: each item says where it comes from.

The 1560s · Princess is born in Eskilstuna

In the news1563–1570

Devastation from the Northern Seven Years' War

The Northern Seven Years' War caused widespread devastation, with farms plundered and rural populations forced to flee to towns.

Getting around

Travel by Foot and Horseback

In the 16th century, Swedes primarily traveled on foot or horseback, as carriages were not yet common for general use. People often traveled in groups for safety and to share the burdens of the journey.

In the news1569–1574

Famine and price crisis of 1569-1574

Between 1569 and 1574, a severe famine and price crisis struck the region, causing mass death among the poorest residents, while wealthy nobles remained largely unaffected. During 1573 and 1574, a 2.2-kilogram loaf of rye bread cost an unskilled worker in Krakow between 32% and 40% of their daily wage.

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

Daily workwear for peasant women

Ordinary women often worked in long linen chemises and would tie a knot in their skirt to move more easily. Married women covered their heads with a wimple, while young girls left their hair uncovered.

Music

Chanting the mass in Swedish vernacular

During mass, priests chanted biblical texts in the Swedish vernacular using melodic formulas known as accentus, a practice that helped convey scripture to the laity.

At the table

Beaver was considered a fasting fish

People considered beavers to be fish because they swim with their tails, allowing them to eat beaver meat during religious fasting periods when meat was otherwise prohibited.