This is a series of original studies concerning myths and misunderstandings about the medieval Fa... more This is a series of original studies concerning myths and misunderstandings about the medieval Far North, and their place within the broader spectrum of Norwegian history. The history of the Far North is tinged by dark fantasies. A remote location, harsh climate, a boundless and often mountainous wasteland, complex ethnic composition, and strange ways of life: all contributed to how the edge of Europe was misunderstood by outsiders. Since ancient times, the North has been considered as a place that exuded evil: it was the end of the world, the abode of monsters and supernatural beings, of magicians and sorcerers. It was Europe’s last bastion of recalcitrant paganism. Many weird tales of the North even came from within the region itself, and when newly literate Scandinavians began to re-work their oral traditions into written form after 1100 AD, these myths of their past underlay newer legends and stories serving to support the development to Christian national monarchies. The essays in this volume engage closely with these stories, questioning how and why such traditions developed, and exploring their meaning. Through this approach, the volume also examines how historiographical traditions were shaped by authors pursuing agendas of nation-building and Christianization, at the same time that myths surrounding and originating among the multi-ethnic populations of the Far North continued to dominate the perception of the region and its people, and to define their place in Norwegian medieval history.
I artikkelen sammenlignes kjønnsspesifikke straffer i nordiske middelalderlover innenfor temaene ... more I artikkelen sammenlignes kjønnsspesifikke straffer i nordiske middelalderlover innenfor temaene vold og drap, sek-sualmoral og tyveri. Her undersøkes spesielt egne straffer for kvinnelige lovbrytere, og prinsippene bak disse. For-fatterne spør om kvinnen ble ansett for å være et selvstendig rettssubjekt, og hvorvidt forbrytelsen tillagt kvinnerspesielt ble sett som en krenkelse av familien eller mot samfunnet. Lovene som undersøkes har opphav i tidsrom-met 1100–1300, en periode da skriftlige lover oppstod i hele det nordiske området og der rettsreglene i Nordenvar gjenstand for revisjon i tråd med europeiske rettsideologier. Forfatterne konkluderer med at i perioden blekvinner, med noen unntak, ansett å være et rettssubjekt i hele det undersøkte området. Samtidig er det strafferetts-lige ansvaret tillagt kvinnen styrket i perioden. Det ble også tolket forskjellig i de enkelte lovområdene, med ulikgrad av en mannlig verges medansvar. Straffeansvaret for kvinner følger den generelle utviklingen fra kollektivt tilindividuelt ansvar i perioden, men også utviklingen av kvinnenes økte rett til eiendom. Forskjellene som kommer frem i det nordiske materialet, bekrefter mønsteret som er identifisert i tidligere forskning, men nyanserer også bildet.
The history of the Far North is tinged by dark fantasies. A remote location, harsh climate, a bou... more The history of the Far North is tinged by dark fantasies. A remote location, harsh climate, a boundless and often mountainous wasteland, complex ethnic composition, and strange ways of life: all contributed to how the edge of Europe was misunderstood by outsiders. Since ancient times, the North has been considered as a place that exuded evil: it was the end of the world, the abode of monsters and supernatural beings, of magicians and sorcerers. It was Europe’s last bastion of recalcitrant paganism. Many weird tales of the North even came from within the region itself, and when newly literate Scandinavians began to re-work their oral traditions into written form after 1100 AD, these myths of their past underlay newer legends and stories serving to support the development to Christian national monarchies. The essays in this volume engage closely with these stories, questioning how and why such traditions developed, and exploring their meaning. Through this approach, the volume also examines how historiographical traditions were shaped by authors pursuing agendas of nation-building and Christianization, at the same time that myths surrounding and originating among the multi-ethnic populations of the Far North continued to dominate the perception of the region and its people, and to define their place in Norwegian medieval history.
I rettshistorisk sammenheng er den senromerske lovgivningen rundt ekteskapsbrudd interessant ut f... more I rettshistorisk sammenheng er den senromerske lovgivningen rundt ekteskapsbrudd interessant ut fra flere aspekter. For det første er skilsmisselover et sted det er naturlig å vurdere mulig kristen innflytelse på romerske myndigheter og fra romerske myndigheter på befolkningen. For det andre gir de få overleverte lovene eksempler på samvirke mellom lov og samfunn. I tillegg gir lovene som omhandler skilsmisse et mer direkte bilde av det juridiske statusforholdet mellom menn og kvinner i perioden. Ved å følge rettsutviklingen på feltet kronologisk kan vi belyse disse aspektene.
The administration of Cnut in England (1016-35) saw a pragmatic use of in situ traditions, instit... more The administration of Cnut in England (1016-35) saw a pragmatic use of in situ traditions, institutions, personnel and legislation. The ability to adapt to local structures is thought to be the key for his relative stable rule in England. Within these parameters, Cnut further developed authority and law. Though not very communicated in Norwegian historiography, similar procedures might have been tried in Norway after the king’s gain of supremacy there from 102835. His son Svein was instated as tributary king from 1030, around the time Olaf Haralsson was defeated by Cnut’s support. The reign is regarded as highly unsuccessful and unpopular in later Norwegian sources and modern scholarship. This paper will explore some possible effects and influences from this period on law and administration in the developing Norwegian kingdom.
The history of the Far North is tinged by dark fantasies. A remote location, harsh climate, a bou... more The history of the Far North is tinged by dark fantasies. A remote location, harsh climate, a boundless and often mountainous wasteland, complex ethnic composition, and strange ways of life: all contributed to how the edge of Europe was misunderstood by outsiders. Since ancient times, the North has been considered as a place that exuded evil: it was the end of the world, the abode of monsters and supernatural beings, of magicians and sorcerers. It was Europe’s last bastion of recalcitrant paganism. Many weird tales of the North even came from within the region itself, and when newly literate Scandinavians began to re-work their oral traditions into written form after 1100 AD, these myths of their past underlay newer legends and stories serving to support the development to Christian national monarchies. The essays in this volume engage closely with these stories, questioning how and why such traditions developed, and exploring their meaning. Through this approach, the volume also examines how historiographical traditions were shaped by authors pursuing agendas of nation-building and Christianization, at the same time that myths surrounding and originating among the multi-ethnic populations of the Far North continued to dominate the perception of the region and its people, and to define their place in Norwegian medieval history.
The article aims to identify the legal approach to ‘backwards inheritance’ in medieval Scandinavi... more The article aims to identify the legal approach to ‘backwards inheritance’ in medieval Scandinavian law. When a person dies without descendants, the right to inherit from that person reverts to his or her ascendants, which could result in the property of one family falling to another family through marriage. In this article, the circumstances under which backwards inheritance was accepted or tried to be prevented in law is discussed, as well as the question of what the legislators’ strategies were. Scandinavian inheritance systems suggest that paternal inheritance rights dominated. However, the present study asserts that the legislation did not necessarily protect the interest of either the paternal or maternal kin group, but rather displayed concern for the surviving family.
This is a series of original studies concerning myths and misunderstandings about the medieval Fa... more This is a series of original studies concerning myths and misunderstandings about the medieval Far North, and their place within the broader spectrum of Norwegian history. The history of the Far North is tinged by dark fantasies. A remote location, harsh climate, a boundless and often mountainous wasteland, complex ethnic composition, and strange ways of life: all contributed to how the edge of Europe was misunderstood by outsiders. Since ancient times, the North has been considered as a place that exuded evil: it was the end of the world, the abode of monsters and supernatural beings, of magicians and sorcerers. It was Europe’s last bastion of recalcitrant paganism. Many weird tales of the North even came from within the region itself, and when newly literate Scandinavians began to re-work their oral traditions into written form after 1100 AD, these myths of their past underlay newer legends and stories serving to support the development to Christian national monarchies. The essays in this volume engage closely with these stories, questioning how and why such traditions developed, and exploring their meaning. Through this approach, the volume also examines how historiographical traditions were shaped by authors pursuing agendas of nation-building and Christianization, at the same time that myths surrounding and originating among the multi-ethnic populations of the Far North continued to dominate the perception of the region and its people, and to define their place in Norwegian medieval history.
I artikkelen sammenlignes kjønnsspesifikke straffer i nordiske middelalderlover innenfor temaene ... more I artikkelen sammenlignes kjønnsspesifikke straffer i nordiske middelalderlover innenfor temaene vold og drap, sek-sualmoral og tyveri. Her undersøkes spesielt egne straffer for kvinnelige lovbrytere, og prinsippene bak disse. For-fatterne spør om kvinnen ble ansett for å være et selvstendig rettssubjekt, og hvorvidt forbrytelsen tillagt kvinnerspesielt ble sett som en krenkelse av familien eller mot samfunnet. Lovene som undersøkes har opphav i tidsrom-met 1100–1300, en periode da skriftlige lover oppstod i hele det nordiske området og der rettsreglene i Nordenvar gjenstand for revisjon i tråd med europeiske rettsideologier. Forfatterne konkluderer med at i perioden blekvinner, med noen unntak, ansett å være et rettssubjekt i hele det undersøkte området. Samtidig er det strafferetts-lige ansvaret tillagt kvinnen styrket i perioden. Det ble også tolket forskjellig i de enkelte lovområdene, med ulikgrad av en mannlig verges medansvar. Straffeansvaret for kvinner følger den generelle utviklingen fra kollektivt tilindividuelt ansvar i perioden, men også utviklingen av kvinnenes økte rett til eiendom. Forskjellene som kommer frem i det nordiske materialet, bekrefter mønsteret som er identifisert i tidligere forskning, men nyanserer også bildet.
The history of the Far North is tinged by dark fantasies. A remote location, harsh climate, a bou... more The history of the Far North is tinged by dark fantasies. A remote location, harsh climate, a boundless and often mountainous wasteland, complex ethnic composition, and strange ways of life: all contributed to how the edge of Europe was misunderstood by outsiders. Since ancient times, the North has been considered as a place that exuded evil: it was the end of the world, the abode of monsters and supernatural beings, of magicians and sorcerers. It was Europe’s last bastion of recalcitrant paganism. Many weird tales of the North even came from within the region itself, and when newly literate Scandinavians began to re-work their oral traditions into written form after 1100 AD, these myths of their past underlay newer legends and stories serving to support the development to Christian national monarchies. The essays in this volume engage closely with these stories, questioning how and why such traditions developed, and exploring their meaning. Through this approach, the volume also examines how historiographical traditions were shaped by authors pursuing agendas of nation-building and Christianization, at the same time that myths surrounding and originating among the multi-ethnic populations of the Far North continued to dominate the perception of the region and its people, and to define their place in Norwegian medieval history.
I rettshistorisk sammenheng er den senromerske lovgivningen rundt ekteskapsbrudd interessant ut f... more I rettshistorisk sammenheng er den senromerske lovgivningen rundt ekteskapsbrudd interessant ut fra flere aspekter. For det første er skilsmisselover et sted det er naturlig å vurdere mulig kristen innflytelse på romerske myndigheter og fra romerske myndigheter på befolkningen. For det andre gir de få overleverte lovene eksempler på samvirke mellom lov og samfunn. I tillegg gir lovene som omhandler skilsmisse et mer direkte bilde av det juridiske statusforholdet mellom menn og kvinner i perioden. Ved å følge rettsutviklingen på feltet kronologisk kan vi belyse disse aspektene.
The administration of Cnut in England (1016-35) saw a pragmatic use of in situ traditions, instit... more The administration of Cnut in England (1016-35) saw a pragmatic use of in situ traditions, institutions, personnel and legislation. The ability to adapt to local structures is thought to be the key for his relative stable rule in England. Within these parameters, Cnut further developed authority and law. Though not very communicated in Norwegian historiography, similar procedures might have been tried in Norway after the king’s gain of supremacy there from 102835. His son Svein was instated as tributary king from 1030, around the time Olaf Haralsson was defeated by Cnut’s support. The reign is regarded as highly unsuccessful and unpopular in later Norwegian sources and modern scholarship. This paper will explore some possible effects and influences from this period on law and administration in the developing Norwegian kingdom.
The history of the Far North is tinged by dark fantasies. A remote location, harsh climate, a bou... more The history of the Far North is tinged by dark fantasies. A remote location, harsh climate, a boundless and often mountainous wasteland, complex ethnic composition, and strange ways of life: all contributed to how the edge of Europe was misunderstood by outsiders. Since ancient times, the North has been considered as a place that exuded evil: it was the end of the world, the abode of monsters and supernatural beings, of magicians and sorcerers. It was Europe’s last bastion of recalcitrant paganism. Many weird tales of the North even came from within the region itself, and when newly literate Scandinavians began to re-work their oral traditions into written form after 1100 AD, these myths of their past underlay newer legends and stories serving to support the development to Christian national monarchies. The essays in this volume engage closely with these stories, questioning how and why such traditions developed, and exploring their meaning. Through this approach, the volume also examines how historiographical traditions were shaped by authors pursuing agendas of nation-building and Christianization, at the same time that myths surrounding and originating among the multi-ethnic populations of the Far North continued to dominate the perception of the region and its people, and to define their place in Norwegian medieval history.
The article aims to identify the legal approach to ‘backwards inheritance’ in medieval Scandinavi... more The article aims to identify the legal approach to ‘backwards inheritance’ in medieval Scandinavian law. When a person dies without descendants, the right to inherit from that person reverts to his or her ascendants, which could result in the property of one family falling to another family through marriage. In this article, the circumstances under which backwards inheritance was accepted or tried to be prevented in law is discussed, as well as the question of what the legislators’ strategies were. Scandinavian inheritance systems suggest that paternal inheritance rights dominated. However, the present study asserts that the legislation did not necessarily protect the interest of either the paternal or maternal kin group, but rather displayed concern for the surviving family.
This is a series of original studies concerning myths and misunderstandings about the medieval Fa... more This is a series of original studies concerning myths and misunderstandings about the medieval Far North, and their place within the broader spectrum of Norwegian history.
The history of the Far North is tinged by dark fantasies. A remote location, harsh climate, a boundless and often mountainous wasteland, complex ethnic composition, and strange ways of life: all contributed to how the edge of Europe was misunderstood by outsiders. Since ancient times, the North has been considered as a place that exuded evil: it was the end of the world, the abode of monsters and supernatural beings, of magicians and sorcerers. It was Europe’s last bastion of recalcitrant paganism. Many weird tales of the North even came from within the region itself, and when newly literate Scandinavians began to re-work their oral traditions into written form after 1100 AD, these myths of their past underlay newer legends and stories serving to support the development to Christian national monarchies.
The essays in this volume engage closely with these stories, questioning how and why such traditions developed, and exploring their meaning. Through this approach, the volume also examines how historiographical traditions were shaped by authors pursuing agendas of nation-building and Christianization, at the same time that myths surrounding and originating among the multi-ethnic populations of the Far North continued to dominate the perception of the region and its people, and to define their place in Norwegian medieval history.
Boka Nord og verden behandler Nordlands og Nord-Trøndelags forhold til verden utenfor til ulike t... more Boka Nord og verden behandler Nordlands og Nord-Trøndelags forhold til verden utenfor til ulike tider og på ulike samfunnsområder. Antologien springer ut av fagmiljøet i historiske studier ved Nord universitet. Norske historikere ble for noen år siden kritisert av en internasjonal evalueringsgruppe for å være preget av «metodologisk nasjonalisme». Denne boka er et svar på en slik kritikk. Det har vært et overordna perspektiv å lete etter det som binder Nord universitets hjemregion til verden utenfor, framfor å studere det lokale eller unike mer eller mindre frakoplet en internasjonal kontekst.
Gjennom elleve kapitler diskuterer forfatterne hvordan befolkningen i regionen har forholdt seg til impulser utenfra fra jernalderen til i dag, men også hvordan folk har omformet impulsene lokalt og regionalt. Slik blir vi kjent med historiske forestillinger om og bilder av regionen og dens innbyggere på områder som politikk, internasjonale nettverk, modernisering og utvikling.
Arbeidet har vært ledet av førsteamanuensene Per Bjarne Ravnå og Miriam Tveit, som selv er eksponenter for en mer internasjonal vending i historieforskningen, med bakgrunn fra felt som historiefaglig Jesus-forskning og antikkens politiske historie (Ravnå), og vesteuropeisk rettshistorie i tidlig middelalder (Tveit).
This thesis analyses the degree of influence and loan in the secular legislation between AD 400 a... more This thesis analyses the degree of influence and loan in the secular legislation between AD 400 and 1350. It explores the legislation on the topics of inheritance and compensation for homicide in search of the transmission of law between geographical regions and over a timespan of several centuries, and investigates how secular legislation on the distribution of inheritance and on compensation for homicide was motivated. This wide perspective has adduced evidence of legal transmission between the legal cultures in Western Europe that are not traditionally compared. Medieval legal development was born out of the Roman legal tradition, but found its own way in the following centuries. Encounters between legal cultures in medieval Europe resulted in legal advisors being inspired by the same ideology, thus producing similar legal works. In the legislation on inheritance and homicide, this thesis demonstrates a range of shared concepts in the written laws. The similarities are found in legislation regarding the larger systems of the transfer of wealth as well as the details, such as the terminology and concepts regarding rules of inheritance and homicide. The value of this extensive survey is in its broaching of traditionally demarcated historic periods, as well as its thorough investigation of law material from a large region. Thus, the thesis contributes to the available research on medieval legislation at different points in time, and discusses how existing European law influenced other secular legislative authority, either directly or conceptually.
Uploads
Papers by Miriam Tveit
The history of the Far North is tinged by dark fantasies. A remote location, harsh climate, a boundless and often mountainous wasteland, complex ethnic composition, and strange ways of life: all contributed to how the edge of Europe was misunderstood by outsiders. Since ancient times, the North has been considered as a place that exuded evil: it was the end of the world, the abode of monsters and supernatural beings, of magicians and sorcerers. It was Europe’s last bastion of recalcitrant paganism. Many weird tales of the North even came from within the region itself, and when newly literate Scandinavians began to re-work their oral traditions into written form after 1100 AD, these myths of their past underlay newer legends and stories serving to support the development to Christian national monarchies.
The essays in this volume engage closely with these stories, questioning how and why such traditions developed, and exploring their meaning. Through this approach, the volume also examines how historiographical traditions were shaped by authors pursuing agendas of nation-building and Christianization, at the same time that myths surrounding and originating among the multi-ethnic populations of the Far North continued to dominate the perception of the region and its people, and to define their place in Norwegian medieval history.
Gjennom elleve kapitler diskuterer forfatterne hvordan befolkningen i regionen har forholdt seg til impulser utenfra fra jernalderen til i dag, men også hvordan folk har omformet impulsene lokalt og regionalt. Slik blir vi kjent med historiske forestillinger om og bilder av regionen og dens innbyggere på områder som politikk, internasjonale nettverk, modernisering og utvikling.
Arbeidet har vært ledet av førsteamanuensene Per Bjarne Ravnå og Miriam Tveit, som selv er eksponenter for en mer internasjonal vending i historieforskningen, med bakgrunn fra felt som historiefaglig Jesus-forskning og antikkens politiske historie (Ravnå), og vesteuropeisk rettshistorie i tidlig middelalder (Tveit).