If the Danish Vikings Knew Land Rent, What Was it Like?
Bjørn Poulsen
This volume aims to define the changing nature of lordship in Viking and early medieval Scandinavia. Advances settlement archaeology cultural geography have revealed new aspects social power Age The organization is increasingly well understood gives evidence strong differentiation rural settlement. Historical research, however, portrays these societies as characterized by elementary networks at a personal level rather than formal institutions. Can representations be reconciled? When did possession land, form manors or large demesne farms, become an important source authority? question has generated intense debate internationally recent years, but there no comprehensive overview for New sources approaches allow us traditional view that Scandinavian aristocrats developed from raiders into Christian landlords. Seventeen thematic chapters leading scholars survey assess state research provide baseline interdisciplinary discussions. How were ties structured? dependency materialize modes agriculture, settlement, landscape, monuments? book traces tributary relations, forged through ties, gifts, duties, feasting great halls, their gradual transformation feudal bonds levies land-rent.
The medieval countryside