Ulrik of Denmark

Prince Ulrik of Denmark was a son of King Christian IV of Denmark and Norway and his consort Queen Anne Catherine of Brandenburg. As the fourth-born son, he bore the merely titular rank of Duke of Holstein and Schleswig, Stormarn and Ditmarsh; however, he had no share in the royal-ducal condominial rule of Holstein and Schleswig, wielded by the heads of the houses of Oldenburg (royal) and its cadet branch…

Elsinore butcher's extensive linen collection

In 1607, a butcher in Elsinore owned items including 5 shirts, 5 ruffs, 2 handkerchiefs, 3 pillowcases, and various types of linen bedding and yarn.

Sumptuary laws for wedding jewelry

Sumptuary laws in 1606 restricted artisan brides to wearing only one gold necklace and a string of pearls, while wealthier women were permitted two necklaces.

Rural instruments included bagpipes and drums

Among the rural population, common instruments included drone instruments like bagpipes and hurdy-gurdies, alongside drums and violin-like instruments such as the gig. These were often played at festivals and life celebrations, such as weddings and births.

Shawms, citherns, and flutes were popular

Instruments such as the shawm (skalmeje), cithern, and various flutes were popular in both public and private life. In some cases, people even used these for entertainment during drinking sessions, though such secular music was often viewed with hostility by the church.

Standard day's journey of four miles

A Danish mile, used as a measure for travel, was approximately 7.5 kilometers, and four miles were considered a standard day's journey.

Children's Work and Schooling

In the Børnehuset orphanage, children had a 10-hour workday, from 5 to 10 in the morning and 12 to 5 in the afternoon. A priest provided a daily half-hour of education in reading and writing.

Drinking Beer Instead of Water

Water was often contaminated, so adults and children preferred to drink weak beer; it was sometimes even forbidden to drink from wells.

Beer replaced water for all ages

Because drinking water was often unsafe, people of all ages drank thin, sour beer with their meals instead.

Bread was baked monthly in community ovens

Ordinary households relied on community ovens to bake large batches of bread only once a month.

Cost of cleaning a privy

Cleaning a privy at a Copenhagen courtyard in 1621 took four nights of work and cost 34 daler and 11 skilling, including a 3 daler and 16 skilling repair fee.

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.

Mandatory unpaid labor for tenant farmers

In the mid-17th century, many tenant peasants were obligated to perform at least one day of unpaid labour per week for their landlords, known as weekday men. This work included strenuous tasks like felling trees, digging ditches, and repairing fences, sometimes even using their own horses and wagons.

Peasant household tasks and ploughing teams

Peasant households were the basic economic unit, with men ploughing, sowing, and harvesting, while women managed livestock, butter, beer, and bread production. In the early 17th century, a typical ploughing team required four horses and two men to handle the heavy work.