Charles IX of Sweden

What people wore

Sheepskin skirts for farm maids

In 1559, two maids at Umeå farm were each given a skirt made from 12 sheepskins.

Daily life

Living in a one-room cottage with livestock

Ordinary homes were typically one-room cottages with dirt floors, where the entire family lived and slept alongside livestock like pigs, cows, and hens during the winter. These cottages were drafty, often lit by only a single small window covered with parchment or glass, and kept warm by a baking oven that families lit before dawn.

Work

Memorable details of survival and labor

Some laborers performed specialized tasks like trampling clay for brick making or breaking flax, while a cottager named Mats Olsson's inventory included only a scythe, five fishing nets, and three iron tools, showing a reliance on varied, low-value items. His small herd of seven animals, including one cow and three sheep, was likely essential for both survival and potential future investment.

Music

Flutes, drums, and bagpipes for dancing

Musicians often led dances using flutes, drums, or popular bagpipes to accompany the festivities.

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.

Getting around

Winter Travel Efficiency

Winter travel was significantly faster than summer travel, as sleds could glide over frozen lakes and rivers, covering 70 to 80 km in a single day. In contrast, summer journeys were often limited to 30 to 50 km per day, depending on whether one was walking or riding a horse.

What it cost

Price of bread and meat in Ångermanland

In Ångermanland, a single loaf of bread was valued at 2 öre, while 1 liter of meat cost 24 öre.