Prince Philip Ferdinand of Denmark

What people wore

DIY footwear for everyday use

Simple, practical footwear for daily use could be made by anyone with just a piece of animal skin, a knife to punch holes, and string to tie it around the ankle.

Daily life

Cooking Methods and Kitchen Safety

Ordinary people cooked over open fires, often using pots of ceramic, copper, or tin, as indoor ovens were typically used only once a month for baking. Because open fire was considered dangerous, specialized kitchen functions were sometimes moved to separate buildings like dedicated brew-houses, bakeries, or cooking sheds.

Work

Demanding labour for ploughing

Ploughing was heavy work typically requiring four horses and two men to perform.

Music

Music and Games in Daily Life

During the 16th century, the term playing (at lege) was used for both music, dice, and cards, while flute, shawm, and organ were common instruments at festivities.

At the table

Two simple daily meals

Ordinary families ate two main meals a day, usually centered around porridge, bread, and simple meat or fish dishes.

Getting around

Limited capacity of peasant wagons

Peasant wagons used for transport were very small, typically carrying only about 100 bricks or one to two barrels of grain per load.

What it cost

Prices of poultry in 1510

In 1510, a goose could be purchased for 1 skilling dansk, while a hen cost 6 penninge dansk.