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John the Younger, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg

1545–1622

Born
4 Apr 1545, Koldinghus
Country of birth
Denmark
Died
9 Oct 1622, Glücksburg Castle
facts
8
sources
1
images and files
0

Facts and their sources

Tap a fact to see where it comes from.

A life in time

  1. Born · Koldinghus

    Birth, Koldinghus

  2. Child born: Frederick, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sønderburg-Norburg

    Birth, Sønderborg

  3. Child born: Margrethe of Slesvig-Holsten-Sønderborg

    Birth, Sønderborg

  4. Child born: Philip, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg

    Birth, Sønderborg Castle

  5. Died · Glücksburg Castle

    Death, Glücksburg Castle

What was it like?

The world around Koldinghus, 1545: who ruled, who else was alive, how people lived. This is general history, not a record about the family, and every item shows where it comes from.

Ordinary men and women were legally prohibited from wearing luxury textiles like velvet, damask, or silk, though non-noble unmarried women could wear simple silk or velvet hair ribbons.

Fashion

Legal Restrictions on Clothing Materials

Ordinary men and women were legally prohibited from wearing luxury textiles like velvet, damask, or silk, though non-noble unmarried women could wear simple silk or velvet hair ribbons.

Practical Working Clothing for Peasants

Working peasants often wore simple, practical clothing such as linen shirts, wool tunics, hose, and aprons, while stripping down to their linen braies for fieldwork.

Music

Hymns replace dance in churches

Following the 1536 Reformation, communal hymn singing in Danish became a central and active part of church services, though the authorities actively suppressed folk dancing inside churches.

Popular chain dancing and musical accompaniment

In the mid-16th century, common people frequently danced in chains, often to the sound of a performer simultaneously playing a pipe and a small drum.

Getting around

Shift to wagon travel

During the 16th century, traveling by wagon became increasingly common for men, whereas at the start of the century, both men and women typically traveled on horseback.

Traveling by foot or wagon

In the 1500s, people typically traveled by foot, horseback, or in wagons, covering about 6 to 7 km per hour in a walking pace.

Daily life

Household-based education and basic literacy

There was no compulsory schooling, and children were primarily educated within their own households, with boys learning trades from their fathers and girls helping their mothers. However, parish clerks were increasingly tasked with teaching children basic reading of printed text, using Christian materials like Luther's Small Catechism.

Limited light and communal water sources

Illumination in homes was minimal, relying on tallow candles and the dim glow from the central open hearth, which also served as the only source of heat and place for cooking. Water for daily use had to be fetched from a shared village well, as homes lacked running water.

Food

Beer as an Everyday Drink

Ordinary people drank weak beer daily, as the quality of water was poor and it was considered safer and more common than drinking water.

Limited Access to Fresh Meat

Fresh meat was rare for commoners, who typically relied on salted meat for most of the year, reserving fresh meat primarily for the Christmas season.

Prices and wages
Around 1550–1574

Fixed prices caused smaller bread loaves

In the mid-16th century, a standard loaf of bread (white bread or sifted bread) was sold at a fixed price, and bakers were frequently criticized for making the loaves smaller to cope with rising grain prices.

Around 1550–1574

Red leather stockings were popular fashion

In 1556, Danish princesses received red leather stockings, which were fashionable and worn by both men and women, though they could not be washed and were later replaced by linen stockings as prices dropped.

Work
Around 1538–1538

Tailor payment for city flag

In 1538, a tailor in the town of Schleswig was paid three marks to create a common flag for the town’s inhabitants.

Forced labor for tenant farmers

Tenant farmers often performed forced manual labor, known as servitude, which could include cleaning grain, chopping wood, or collecting stones from the landlord’s fields.

News and letters

Informal letter delivery and news networks

In the 16th century, there was no public postal system, so letters were carried by individuals, royal messengers, or specialized local couriers who often traveled on horseback. News was also carried by ferrymen and international sailors, who acted as vital, though informal, information channels across the kingdom.

Messenger speed and the importance of oral news

Speed depended entirely on the messenger, as royal couriers could travel up to 70 kilometers a day, whereas bad weather, especially on the sea routes to places like Finland, could delay letters for weeks. People often relied on verbal messages to accompany written letters to ensure their authenticity and clarity.

During their lifetime

  1. 1555

    Peace of Augsburg enacted (1555)

    The 1555 Peace of Augsburg established the legal principle that local princes could determine the religion of their subjects as either Lutheran or Catholic. If subjects disagreed with their ruler's choice, they were granted the right to emigrate with their property and families.

  2. 1563

    Northern Seven Years' War begins

    The Northern Seven Years' War between Denmark and Sweden began in 1563, disrupting life for many across the region.

  3. 1568

    Plague closes University of Copenhagen

    A severe plague outbreak in 1568 forced the closure of the University of Copenhagen and the relocation of a planned peace conference.

  4. 1572

    Banking house collapse ruins economy (1572)

    The collapse of the major merchant and banking house Loitz in Stettin in 1572 caused widespread economic turmoil throughout the region of Pomerania.

  5. 1575

    Smallpox and measles epidemic (1575)

    A widespread outbreak of smallpox and measles occurred in Holstein in 1575, severely impacting the lives of local families.

  6. 1575

    Four-year plague epidemic strikes

    A deadly four-year epidemic, characterized by painful swellings and fever, devastated the population from 1575 to 1578.

Family

Parents

Spouses

Children

Ancestors and children

Open the full tree

Four generations back to the right, the children to the left. The number beside a child counts the generations of descendants known after them.