Princess Frederica Amalia of Denmark

Princess Frederica Amalia of Denmark and Norway was the second daughter of King Frederick III of Denmark and Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneburg, and Duchess of Holstein-Gottorp from 1667 to 1695 as the consort of Duke Christian Albert.

Cost of footwear and livestock

In the 1640s, a pair of new shoes was valued at one daler, while an ox cost between 8 and 13 daler.

Amager women required eleven aprons

Women in the village of Store Magleby on Amager needed to own at least 11 different aprons to have an appropriate outfit for every occasion.

Payment customs for public musicians

Musicians were paid set fees for performances at public events, but they often received extra coins when a plate was passed among the guests.

Popular musical instruments of the era

Common people frequently used the recorder, bagpipe, shawm, and harp, while the lute, zither, and clavichord were considered noble instruments.

Introduction of passenger mail coaches

In 1653, the Danish postal service began operating mail coaches that carried both passengers and parcels twice a week.

Large-scale royal transport logistics

Official transport was highly organized; in 1643, a royal journey for Prince Christian required 57 carriages, necessitating help from local farmers to provide enough horses and vehicles.

Lack of schooling for children

Children in Nyboder received no schooling in the 17th century and were instead made to work away from home.

Open fires and smoky kitchens

Many farmhouses lacked chimneys, relying on open fires on the floor with a smoke exit hole in the roof, which made cooking smoky and eyes sore.

Beer was the standard daily beverage

Ordinary families in Denmark drank beer throughout the day, including children, because fresh water was often not available or unsafe. An adult was expected to consume at least twelve barrels of beer annually.

Daily diet relied on porridge and kale

Daily meals for ordinary people were simple and centered on staples like porridge and bread, while kale was a crucial winter vitamin source because it could survive outdoors year-round. Porridge and bread were essential parts of every meal, and meat or fish were consumed when available, often salted or dried.

Rye bread price in the 1600s

In the 1600s, a pound of rye bread typically cost 1 to 2 skilling, though prices could rise significantly during grain shortages.

Food prices in the 1640s

During the 1640s, a pound of coarse rye bread in cities cost about 3 skilling, while a goose cost approximately 20 skilling.

Common jobs in 17th-century Danish towns

In cities like Ribe, most of the population consisted of manual workers, including craftsmen, skippers, merchants, and unskilled laborers, while a significant portion of the urban population lived in poverty.

Structure of the daily workday

A working day typically lasted between 8 and 13 hours depending on the season, with tasks strictly divided by gender and household hierarchy. Common rural labor included plowing and harvesting for men, while women managed dairying, baking, and textile production.

Establishment of the Danish Postal Service

Denmark's formal postal service, established by Christian IV in 1624, connected major cities with routes like the one from Copenhagen to Hamburg. Initially, mail was mostly carried by foot, but the use of mounted riders increased significantly after 1640.

Organized postal routes and costs

The national postal service used fixed routes served by mail coaches and riders, though postage costs remained high for ordinary people.