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Medieval Scandinavian Laws
Medieval Scandinavian law, also called North Germanic law, was a subset of Germanic law practiced by North Germanic peoples. It was originally memorized by lawspeakers, but after the end of the Viking Age they were committed to writing, mostly by Christian monks after the Christianization of Scandinavia. Initially, they were geographically limited to minor jurisdictions (''lögsögur''), and the Bjarkey laws concerned various merchant towns, but later there were laws that applied to entire Scandinavian kingdoms. Each jurisdiction was governed by an assembly of free men, called a þing. The court assembly, the ''thing'', used the law and heard witnesses to rule whether the accused was guilty or not. There were usually two types of punishment: outlawing and fines. The most common means of justice were, however, fines; the amount varied, depending on the severity of the offense. This system was extremely intricate and the fines themselves, singularly a "mulct", were also varied accordi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Germanic Law
Germanic law is a scholarly term used to described a series of commonalities between the various law codes (the ''Leges Barbarorum'', 'laws of the barbarians', also called Leges) of the early Germanic peoples. These were compared with statements in Tacitus and Caesar as well as with high and late medieval law codes from Germany and Scandinavia. Until the 1950s, these commonalities were held to be the result of a distinct Germanic legal culture. Scholarship since then has questioned this premise and argued that many "Germanic" features instead derive from provincial Roman law. Although most scholars no longer hold that Germanic law was a distinct legal system, some still argue for the retention of the term and for the potential that some aspects of the ''Leges'' in particular derive from a Germanic culture. While the ''Leges Barbarorum'' were written in Latin and not in any Germanic vernacular, codes of Anglo-Saxon law were produced in Old English. The study of Anglo-Saxon and con ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Icelandic Commonwealth
The Icelandic Commonwealth, also known as the Icelandic Free State, was the political unit existing in Iceland between the establishment of the Althing in 930 and the pledge of fealty to the Norwegian king with the Old Covenant in 1262. With the probable exception of hermitic Irish monks known as Papar, Iceland was an uninhabited island until around 874. The Icelandic Commonwealth had a unique political system whereby chieftains (''goðar'') established a common legal code and settled judicial disputes at the Althing, a national assembly. However, there was no executive body in Iceland that enforced the legal code. The Icelandic Commonwealth has consequently been characterized as a stateless society. During the 13th century, Iceland came under the control of the Norwegian Kingdom. Goðorð system The medieval Icelandic state had a unique judicial structure. The first settlers of Iceland were greatly influenced by their Norwegian roots when creating their own form of governmen ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Magnus Lagabøtes Bylov
''Magnus Lagabøtes bylov'' ("Magnus Lagabøte's City Law") was promulgated for Bergen in 1276 during the reign of King Magnus VI of Norway (known as Magnus ''lagabøte'' or "law-mender"). Oslo, Trondheim and Tønsberg received their own versions of the City Law about the same time, without the exact year being known for when they were adopted. The City Law was based on the State Law of Magnus Lagabøte, adopted in 1274, and the ''Bjarkøyretten'', Trondheim's old city law, which came into force during the 1100s. Audun Hugleiksson was instrumental in the design of the law. Magnus Lagabøte's City Law had specific rules and regulations that applied to the merchants in conjunction with the State Law. The laws that applied to the countryside were omitted. The State and City Laws were undoubtedly better known and more widespread than all other secular works in Norway in the late Middle Ages. The laws were applied verbally, with the principle of equality before the law and justice. To ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Magnus Lagabøtes Landslov
''Magnus Lagabötes landslov'' ("Magnus Lagabøte's State Law") was a law covering the whole of Norway, issued by King Magnus VI of Norway between 1274 and 1276. The law was the first to apply to Norway as a whole and is one of the first examples of comprehensive national legislation from a central authority in Europe. The law is the reason that the king was given the name ''Lagabøte'', "the one who improves the law". Characteristics Although the legislation applied to the whole country, it formally consisted of four different law books, one for each of the four jurisdictions (Gulating, Frostating, Eidsivating and Borgarting). However, the content of the four statutes was largely similar and was based primarily on the previous jurisdictional laws. In addition, a separate City Law, ''Magnus Lagabøtes bylov'', was issued for the cities, from 1276. The preparation of a shared law strengthened the central authorities and the king's power. This led to reactions, especially from the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Magnus VI Of Norway
Magnus Haakonsson ( non, Magnús Hákonarson, no, Magnus Håkonsson, label=Modern Norwegian; 1 (or 3) May 1238 – 9 May 1280) was King of Norway (as Magnus VI) from 1263 to 1280 (junior king from 1257). One of his greatest achievements was the modernisation and nationalisation of the Norwegian law-code, after which he is known as Magnus the Law-mender ( non, Magnús lagabœtir, links=no, no, Magnus Lagabøte, label=Modern Norwegian). He was the first Norwegian monarch known to have used an ordinal number, although originally counting himself as "IV". Early life He was the youngest son of King Håkon Håkonsson and his wife Margaret Skulesdatter. He was born in Tunsberg and was baptised in May 1238. He spent most of his upbringing in Bergen. In 1257 his older brother Håkon died, leaving Magnus the heir-apparent to the kingdom. His father gave him the title of king the same year. On 11 September 1261, he married Ingeborg, the daughter of King Eric IV of Denmark, after she was p ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Magnus I Of Norway
Magnus Olafsson (Old Norse: ''Magnús Óláfsson''; Norwegian and Danish: ''Magnus Olavsson''; – 25 October 1047), better known as Magnus the Good (Old Norse: ''Magnús góði'', Norwegian and Danish: ''Magnus den gode''), was King of Norway from 1035 and King of Denmark from 1042 until his death in 1047. Magnus was an illegitimate son of King Olaf II of Norway, and fled with his mother Alfhild when his father was dethroned in 1028. He returned to Norway in 1035 and was crowned king at the age of 11. In 1042, he was also crowned king of Denmark. Magnus ruled the two countries until 1047, when he died under unclear circumstances. After his death, his kingdom was split between Harald Hardrada in Norway and Sweyn Estridsson in Denmark. Early life Magnus was an illegitimate son of King Olaf Haraldsson (later St. Olaf), by his English concubine Alfhild,Carl Frederik Bricka, ''Dansk Biografisk Lexikon'', vol. XI aar – Müllner 1897p.44 originally a slave (thrall) of Olaf's q ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Frostathing Law
Frostathing law (Frostating's law, Frostating Law, Frostathinglaw, Frostaþing law) (''Frostatingsloven'') is one of Norway's oldest laws. It concerned the Frostating, which covered large parts of Norway, and derives its name from the ancient court at Frostating. The most famous quote from this law is "''at lögum skal land várt byggja en eigi at ulögum øyða''" (with law shall our land be built, and not desolated by lawlessness) which also appears in a number of Norse laws, and is inscribed on the illustrated memorial. History It was not the oldest law, which are the ''Heidsævisthinglaw'' (or '' Eidsivathinglaw'') and the ''Gulating'' law. Later came the ''Borgathinglaw'' of Olaf II (1015–1028) but the Frostathing law has been much better preserved, the earlier laws only preserving that which pertained to church law. [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Holmgang
Holmgang (holmganga in Old Norse, hólmganga in modern Icelandic, holmgång in Swedish, holmgang in Danish and Norwegian bokmål and nynorsk) is a duel practiced by early medieval Scandinavians. It was a legally recognized way to settle disputes. The name ''holmgang'' (literally " holm-going") may derive from the combatants' dueling on a small island, or ''holm'', as they do in the saga of Egill Skallagrímsson. At least in theory, anyone offended could challenge the other party to holmgang regardless of their differences in social status. This could be a matter of honor, ownership or property, demand of restitution or debt, legal disagreement or intention to help a wife or relative or avenge a friend. Holmgangs were fought 3–7 days after the challenge. If the person challenged did not turn up for the holmgang, the other man was considered just in his challenge. If the offended party did not turn up for the holmgang, they were deemed niðingr, and could have been sentenced t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Haugating
Haugating was a Thing in medieval Norway. Haugating served as an assembly for the regions around Vestfold and the area west of Oslofjord. It was located at Tønsberg in Vestfold Vestfold is a traditional region, a former county and a current electoral district in Eastern Norway. In 2020 the county became part of the much larger county of Vestfold og Telemark. Located on the western shore of the Oslofjord, it bordered th ..., Norway. Background Although it was not as recognized nationally as the Øreting in Trøndelag, Haugating did play an important role in the history of Norway as a site for the proclamation of kings. At various times, Harald Gille, Sigurd Magnusson, Magnus Erlingsson and Jon Kuvlung were all proclaimed there to be contenders to the throne of Norway. Haugating was seated in Tønsberg at Haugar (from the Old Norse word ''haugr'' meaning hill or burial mound). During the Civil war era in Norway (between 1130-1240), Tonsberg was one of the area where the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Borgarting
The Borgarting was one of the major popular assemblies or things (''lagting'') of medieval Norway. Historically, it was the site of the court and assembly for the southern coastal region of Norway from the south-eastern border with Sweden, westwards to the today's Risør in Aust-Agder. Borgarting was named after its seat, the town of Borg (today Sarpsborg). It was established before 1164 when it absorbed the districts Grenland and Telemark. When Norway was united as a kingdom, the first lagtings were constituted as superior regional assemblies. The ancient regional assemblies – Frostating, Gulating, Eidsivating and Borgarting – were eventually joined into a single jurisdiction. King Magnus Lagabøte had the existing body of law put into writing (1263–1280). In 1274, Magnus promulgated the new national law (''Magnus Lagabøtes landslov''), a unified code of laws to apply for the Kingdom of Norway. This compilation of the codified Gulating laws (''Gulatingsloven'') applied thr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eidsivating
Eidsivating was the name of one of the original Norwegian popular assemblies or '' Things''. Historically, it was the site of court and assembly for the eastern parts of Norway. Summary Traditionally, Eidsivating was the court for the population around Lake Mjøsa. Eidsivating was originally situated at Åker gård, the seat of Vang in Hedmark county, Norway. When Norway was united as a kingdom, the first lagtings were constituted as superior regional assemblies, Eidsivating being one of them. These were representative assemblies at which delegates from the various districts in each region met to award legal judgments and pass laws (''Eidsivatingloven''). Later, during the time of St. Olav, the court was moved to Eidsvold. The jurisdiction of the court was then extended to include Romerike and Hadeland as well as Hedmark. Later Østerdalen and Gudbrandsdalen were also included. The ancient regional assemblies – Frostating, Gulating, Eidsivating and Borgarting – were e ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gulating
Gulating ( non, Gulaþing) was one of the first Norwegian legislative assemblies, or '' things,'' and also the name of a present-day law court of western Norway. The practice of periodic regional assemblies predates recorded history, and was firmly established at the time of the unification of Norway into a single kingdom (900–1030). These assemblies or ''lagþings'' were not democratic, but did not merely serve elites either. They functioned as judicial and legislative bodies, resolving disputes and establishing laws. Gulaþing, along with Norway's three other ancient regional assemblies, the Borgarting, Eidsivating, and Frostating, were joined into a single jurisdiction during the late 13th century, when King Magnus the Lawmender had the existing body of law put into writing (1263–1280). They provided the institutional and legal framework for subsequent legislative and judicial bodies, and remain in operation today as superior regional courts. History The Gulaþing was a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
