The World of Vikings by Justin Pollard

Author:Justin Pollard [Pollard, Justin]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi, azw3
Publisher: Chronicle Books LLC
Published: 2015-11-10T00:00:00+00:00

Ruling The Viking Community

RULING THE VIKING COMMUNITY

Thorbjørn Harr as Jarl Borg.

The government of Viking society was in the hands of assemblies of freemen. In these councils, known as þings (“things”), disputes were solved and political decisions were made. The assemblies were open to all the freemen of a country, province or area—but not women or slaves or children. There was a hierarchy of þings: A local assembly might send a decision up to an area þing, which might in turn send representatives to a national þing.

The locations for þings—central and easily accessible—and the fact that they met at regular intervals also made them ideas for trading and religious ceremonies so the assembly was not necessarily just a dry meeting but could be a festival and a market. It was also where marriages were decided. The þing was typically held at the same specially designated place, often a field or common, like þingvellir, the old location of the Icelandic thing (Alþingi). The parliament of the Isle of Man, which was a Viking stronghold, is still named after the meeting place of the þing, Tynwald— which means the same as þingvellir (the field of the “þing”).

At the þing, the “law speaker” would recite the law, which he had memorized. His job was not to tell the people what to do—as an Anglo-Saxon king might—but to rehearse the law, make judgments based on the extant laws, and also to formally codify any new laws that the people might decide upon. He was the repository of local custom and stories to be consulted during discussions; he presided over a relatively democratic process, something very unusual at this time. Each case was voted on by the members of the þing, with each man getting one vote. The decisions included the election of chieftains and kings. In fact, of course, powerful clans and individuals could dominate, ensuring policy went their way, as we see happening with King Horik.

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