Marie Louise of Hesse-Kassel

At the table

Porridge was the primary warm meal

Porridge made from oats or millet was the most important warm meal, often prepared in large batches and reheated, which gave it a tough, semi-solid consistency. People typically ate directly from a common bowl at the center of the table using their hands or a wooden spoon.

What people wore

Men's multi-functional hat design

The Winkelmann hat for men featured an integrated fabric bag designed to carry items like a prayer book, bread, and a hip flask.

Getting around

Predictable journey times and routes

Travel times were remarkably predictable; for instance, the journey from Delft to Rotterdam took one hour and 45 minutes, while the 57-kilometer trip between Leiden and Utrecht took eight hours. Passengers could disembark at various stops along the route to refresh themselves at inns.

What it cost

Weekly wages for workers and craftsmen

An outdoor laborer in the 17th century typically earned 6.50 guilders per week, while a master carpenter earned 9 guilders per week.

Music

Popular wedding dance needed the fiddle

In Weseke, a record from 1662 calls a local musician “Fidicen” (violinist) whose fiddle provided the energy for festivities, and wedding celebrations were incomplete without dancing.

Daily life

Seasonal and limited schooling

There was no general compulsory schooling, and children often attended only during winter months because their labor was required for farm work in the summer. Instruction focused primarily on memorizing the Bible and learning to pray, with limited teaching of reading and writing.