The first English translation of Magnus the Lawmender’s law code, this book allows students and scholars to interpret, compare and add their perspectives to this crucial source to European legal history.
The Laws of the Land are one of the very few law books issued in the Middle Ages which regulated a whole kingdom. It stayed in force until the late 17th century, shaping society, politics and law in Norway and its surrounding regions for over 400 years. This book is separated into three parts. The first is an introduction to the laws written by the translator, Jóhanna Katrín Friðriksdóttir. The second and longest section of the book is a complete English translation of the Laws of the Land. The final part is a glossary, which lays out the most important Old Norse legal terms with English translations. The glossary also contains explanations and conversions of religious feast days which are relevant in the law.
Providing familiarity with the Laws of the Land, this book is crucial to students and scholars of Medieval history alike to understanding the social, legal, political, and intellectual developments of the Nordic High Middle Ages.
The Open Access version of this book, available at http://www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons [Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives (CC-BY-NC-ND)] 4.0 license.
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements
The Laws of the Land: Introduction
King Magnus the Lawmender’s Laws of the Land
Prologue
Section about Going to Assemblies
Christianity Section
Land Defence Section
Human Inviolability
List of Inheritance
Land Redemption
Land Tenancy Section
Trade Section
Thieves’ Section
Law Amendments
Epilogue
Glossary
Index
Biography
Jóhanna Katrín Friðriksdóttir works at the National Library of Norway in Oslo and her scholarship focuses on Scandinavia in the Viking and medieval periods. Her publications include numerous articles and two monographs, including Valkyrie: The Women of the Viking World (2020).
