Axel von Fersen the Younger

Hans Axel von Fersen, also known as Axel von Fersen the Younger and as Axel de Fersen in France, was a Swedish count, military officer, courtier, ambassador, Marshal and Lord of the Realm. He gained international renown for his close association with Queen Marie Antoinette of France and his prominent involvement in the French Revolution.

Men's evolving fashion in rural Sweden

In the mid-18th century, ordinary men typically wore sturdy, grey woollen wadmal coats fastened with hooks instead of buttons, often lacking pockets. By the late 1700s, younger men increasingly adopted fashionable blue coats adorned with silver-plated buttons, velvet-ribboned hats, and silk accessories.

Surprising details of folk dress

A memorable grooming detail was that some women polished their head cloths with glass to make them shine. Additionally, sheepskin or lambskin skirts with the wool shorn off were commonly worn during winter for warmth.

Church organist improvised dance tunes during service

In 1754, church organists improvised elegant musical interludes between the phrases of hymns, sometimes using melodies they had previously played at secular dances.

Personal instruments were not manor house inventory

Portable instruments like violins and flutes were regarded as personal belongings of wealthy families rather than house inventory, and were not listed in manor house records.

Limited Summer Load Capacity

Farmers in the mid-18th century had limited transport capacity; when transporting grain to town, a load typically consisted of only 2 to 4 barrels, weighing between 150 and 300 kilograms. Transporting heavy and bulky goods over long distances was often economically unfeasible during the summer months due to these limitations.

Traveling by Horse and Foot

In the mid-18th century, people typically traveled by horse or on foot, and women often rode in special side-saddles because the roads were often little more than paths. Goods were also frequently transported on horseback using pack saddles as long as the ground was free of snow.

Brass covers for transporting food

To protect food from dirt and keep it warm while being carried from the kitchen wing to the dining room, servants used funnel-shaped brass covers.

Multipurpose kitchen furniture

A bench in the kitchen served as a work table during the day and as a sleeping place for kitchen maids at night.

Daily Meals of Porridge and Salted Meat

Ordinary families typically ate two meals a day, often centered on porridge made from coarse grains or flour. Meat, usually salted pork or fish, was a common protein supplement, especially when combined with pea soup or turnips.

Drinking Beer and Vinegar-Infused Water

Because water in towns was often poor or malodorous, ordinary people frequently drank beer with their meals. Vinegar was also commonly added to improve the taste and safety of the water available.

Rising cost of rye relative to wages

Between 1770 and 1784, the price of rye was 31 percent higher relative to the wages of day-workers compared to the period of 1735 to 1744.

Food and lodging costs in 1750

In 1750, a mark of lamb meat cost 12 öre kopparmynt, while a night's stay including a room, bed, candle, and heat cost 1 daler and 4 öre kopparmynt.

Common jobs: servants and smallholders

Most people worked as servants on farms or manors, often hired on one-year contracts as farmhands or maids. Many also lived as crofters or cottagers, performing manual labor to support themselves and meet work obligations to larger estates.

Working days and seasonal wages

Work was highly seasonal and often casual, with an unskilled laborer working only about 150 days a year, mostly in summer. A historical record shows women clearing a garden plot for two days earned three skilling and four runstycken per day.