▁who ▁had ▁inherited ▁the ▁position ▁of ▁head ▁of ▁the ▁family , ▁usually ▁from ▁her ▁father ▁or ▁brother , ▁with ▁all ▁the ▁tasks ▁and ▁rights ▁associated ▁with ▁the ▁position . ▁The ▁position ▁existed ▁in ▁Sc and in avia ▁during ▁the ▁Vik ing ▁era ▁and ▁into ▁the ▁Middle ▁A ges . ▁ ▁Ring k vin na ▁is ▁primarily ▁mentioned ▁in ▁the ▁I cel and ic ▁Gr ág ás ▁and ▁the ▁Norwegian ▁F rost ating ▁laws ▁and ▁G ulating ▁laws , ▁in ▁which ▁it ▁is ▁phr ased ▁in ▁much ▁the ▁same ▁way . ▁Un mar ried ▁women ▁in ▁general , ▁referred ▁to ▁as ▁ma er ▁and ▁me y , ▁were ▁secure ▁in ▁their ▁rights ▁of ▁independence : ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 2 0 , ▁a ▁woman ▁reached ▁the ▁right ▁of ▁legal ▁majority ▁and ▁had ▁the ▁right ▁to ▁decide ▁about ▁her ▁own ▁place ▁of ▁residence ▁and ▁stand ▁by ▁herself ▁in ▁all ▁jur id ical ▁sens es ▁before ▁the ▁law . ▁These ▁same ▁rights ▁applied ▁to ▁wid ows . ▁The ▁one ▁exception ▁to ▁her ▁independence ▁was ▁the ▁right ▁to ▁choose ▁a ▁marriage ▁partner , ▁which ▁was ▁a ▁matter ▁for ▁the ▁whole ▁family . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁absence ▁of ▁male ▁relatives , ▁an ▁un mar ried ▁woman ▁with ▁no ▁son ▁could ▁inherit ▁the ▁position ▁as ▁head ▁of ▁the ▁family ▁from ▁a ▁dece ased ▁father ▁or ▁brother . ▁ ▁Women ▁with ▁such ▁status ▁were ▁referred ▁to ▁as ▁ring k vin na . ▁ ▁She ▁exerc ised ▁all ▁the ▁rights ▁afford ed ▁to ▁the ▁head ▁of ▁a ▁family ▁cl an