Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein

At the table

Coffee preparation and traditions

Coffee was not brewed but boiled in a copper kettle and clarified with a piece of dried flounder skin. Sugar was not added to the drink; instead, a piece of brown rock candy was eaten with it.

What people wore

Wooden clogs were common footwear

Both men and women wore wooden clogs for both everyday activities and festive celebrations.

Getting around

Winter travel via ice boats

Passengers crossing the Great Belt in winter used ice boats, where men had to help pull the vessel across the ice while women were exempt.

What it cost

Rising food prices in Copenhagen markets

Between 1839 and 1873, the price of basic food items in Copenhagen increased significantly; for example, the price of a dozen eggs rose from 12 to 36 skillings.

Music

The enduring popularity of the minuet

While the minuet lost popularity among the elite, it remained a favored dance among ordinary people, often initiated by the bride's father at weddings.

Daily life

Compulsory Schooling for Children

The 1814 Education Act mandated compulsory school attendance for children from age seven until confirmation at age 14. In rural areas, children often attended school only every other day to accommodate farm work, and classrooms strictly separated boys and girls.