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Medieval times in Norden (the s.c.nordic FAQ)

The home pages for the Usenet newsgroup soc.culture.nordic

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Medieval times in Norden

2.5.5 Common Nordic History; Medieval times

Western Scandinavia 1066-1319

Denmark and Norway are separate kingdoms. Christian faith is established. Denmark is heavily engaged along the southern and eastern shores af the Baltic Sea competing with Slavic Viking-like tribes and later with Germans. The Germans grow in strength and come through the Hanseatic League to dominate both the Baltic and the North Seas.

Eastern Scandinavia 1164-1319

Christian faith is established. Trade through Russia is no longer possible. Agriculture increase in importance. Finland and Norrland is incorporated in the Swedish realm (the question of when Götaland was united with Svealand is complicated). The Hanseatic League compete successfully with the Guthnish and Swedish traders. The League establish Visby on Gotland as a major Hanseatic town.

Western & Eastern Scandinavia 1319-1521/1536

The Hanseatic League dominates all of Norden. The modern feudalism has led to splitted realms both in Sweden (1310-19) and Denmark (1320-40) and is countered by centralistic tendencies by king Magnus Eriksson of Sweden, King Valdemar Atterdag of Denmark, and his daughter Queen Margrete of Norway. The high aristocracy does of course obstruct. The kingdoms are several times united in personal unions.

Danish kings struggle with Swedish magnates over the relation to Germany. The Swedes (and Norwegians?) prioritize trade, the kings want to fight first and trade then.

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2.5.6 Christian and pre-Christian laws

The Christianization of Scandinavia came in particular to influence the law-system. The written recording of laws was probably introduced by arch-bishop Absalon in Lund, who at the university in Paris around year 1150 had studied not only theology and philosophy but also laws and political science.

In the 12th and 13th century the papal administration showed a great interest in secular laws, and now we are grateful for this, since the archives in Rome have some of our earliest sources. The conflict between pope and emperor in Europe was mirrored also in Scandinavia. The church had three major demands: Investiture, tax exemption and internal jurisdiction (i.e. secular immunity) for priests.

Year 1200 the Swedish king agreed on the latter two points, but as with the German emperor 100 years before the royal (noble) custom to appoint bishops (and priests) remained. 1258 it was agreed that priests were to be ordained by bishops.

From year 1200 we also have the first source claiming royal right to make and change laws. King Knud VI in Denmark proclaimed issues of maintenance of internal peace, as manslaughter, to be within his authority according to the Church's laws and teachings. The Things argued however that the king's power was limited to suspending laws in case they are in direct violation of God's commandments.

Marriage was a topic where Christian laws differed much from the older Germanic. Prior men had become independent of their fathers at puberty, but women were subordinated to their husband, their father or their brothers. With Christianity the bride's consent was demanded for marriage, prohibiting also the formerly customary marriage by capture, as well as concubines.

Dowry and bride price (the latter paid at the betrothing) remained customary. Divorces, which prior had been an equal right of booth spouses, without demands on certain causes, were also prohibited.

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