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Legal history: western Europe & Scandinavia: Scandinavia: middle ages

The Sources

Járnsíða

Following the disintegration of the Commonwealth during the turbulent Sturlung Age, Iceland fell under the control of the Norwegian king. Magnus VI of Norway drew up a law code for Iceland entitled JárnsíðaThis law code restructured the traditional Icelandic system of government, removing power from the goðar, and increasing the power of the Norwegian king. A copy of Járnsíða is available online, or from the English Faculty Library.

Jónsbók

Jónsbók is a formal codification of the laws, written in 1281 by Jón Einarsson. It superseded the earlier Járnsíða code.

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