John III of Sweden

Getting around

Costs and customs of travel accommodation

Travelers could obtain food and shelter from appointed hosts in parishes roughly two Swedish miles apart for a cost of two 'Rondstuckh' (about four Kreuzer) per meal. However, foreign travelers were often charged double and had to rely on the willingness of the local host to provide transport.

Daily life

Cramped shared living spaces with livestock

Most rural homes were single-room cottages serving as both kitchen and bedroom, where families often lived in cramped conditions alongside livestock like calves, sheep, and pigs during winter.

What people wore

Essential Tools Carried on Belts

Peasants often carried essential daily tools like knives and leather pouches on belts; women additionally kept the keys to their farm on their belts.

Music

Ring dances and outdoor celebrations

People often danced in rings or long rows, singing along as they moved, rather than dancing in pairs. Dancing was common at weddings, christenings, and religious festivals, frequently taking place outdoors in fields or town squares.

At the table

Beer as a primary daily beverage

Water was often avoided due to quality concerns, so people frequently drank large quantities of beer, including warm spiced beer known as bragott. In some religious institutions, nuns were served as much as 1.3 liters of beer with their dinner.