Meet the Middle Ages
BackChristina the Bread-seller
Christina lived in Kalmar at the end of the 14th and beginning of the 15th centuries. Her home was at Smedjegatan and her bakery and shop were at Hysekegatan. Christina was married to the merchant and councillor Johannes Bere. Johannes was a little older than Christina and had been married twice before. Johannes had three children; two sons and a daughter. We do not know if Christina was the mother of one or more of these children. In any case she raised the three of them together with Johannes. Johannes and Christina both worked at the bakery. Sometimes they employed another baker – he was called Johannes as well.
Johannes Bere probably died in 1416.Christina then had to manage the bakery on her own. She was lucky to have someone to help her to bake bread. Christina had a big stone-oven in her bakery. There her delicious rye-bread was baked. At this time, one did not use yeast. To make the bread rise, a small piece of dough was saved and mixed with the fresh mixture of flour and water. Many people came to Christina every day, to buy fresh rye-bread. Most people did not have their own ovens. Maybe they treated themselves to a nice white bun made from wheat-flour.
One of Johannes´ and Christinas´ sons was called Walter. He later became a scribe in Kalmar and wrote the protocols of the council in the annual ("Tänkeboken"). One of the daughters entered the convent, and later became a nun.