Vikings

Laws and Legal Procedures: Since laws and legal procedures differed in different areas and changed as time went along, I will discuss the procedures in Iceland. The Icelanders did not like a central form of government such as a king and/or queen. Law was their king. Laws were set up and governed by a consensus and things were smoothed out by negotiating and compromising. In most other Norwegian lands ping (meetings) were held annually. They were usually locally, regionally, and, in Iceland’s case, nationally (called Althing). Here all free men could issue complaints, render decisions, and pass laws.

Social Classes: There were three classes in Norse society. Most Norsemen were in the middle-class. The middle-class were free men who owned a piece of land and were usually farmers, smiths, etc. They owned, one to two longhouses, a barn, and/or a workshop. The upper-class lived in great halls and were known for their wealth, land, ships, many followers, and treasure. The oldest son of the present jarl received the most inheritance and was likely to become the next jarl. By gaining enough fame a karl could become a jarl. A jarls power depended on the good-will of his followers. If a jarl upheld security, prosperity, and the honor of his followers he was likely to stay in power. Lastly, there were the praell,or slaves. Slaves were usually booty from a raid. Other than slaves, there were bondsmen. Bondsmen were those who were in debt and had to work to pay it off. The praell led very hard lives.

The Longhouse: The longhouse seemed to simply rise up out of the ground, for the walls and roof were covered with turf. A steady billow of smoke rose out of the smoke hole in the roof. I entered the house and immediately the stench of cattle reached my nostrils. I saw two columns of wooden posts, placed firmly in the dirt floor, that stretched all the way down the length of the house supporting the roof beams. In between each of these posts were benches