The Older Gulathing Law

Erik Simensen has been Associate professor of Scandinavian Studies (especially Norwegian) at the University of Oslo. He has worked on Old Norse dictionaries and has written articles on topics of Norwegian language history. He has translated charters from 1301- 1310 (2002) and translated four Old Icelandic texts, including Egils saga Skallagrímssonar (2014).

Part 1: Translator’s introduction






Norway in the thirteenth century





Population, livelihood, geography



Social structure



Economic structure



The Church



Political structure




The Gulaþing





The assembly



The Gulaþing Law





The nature and content of the law



Origins and composition



The manuscripts



Editions



Translations





Part 2: The Older Gulaþing Law according to DonVar 137 4to

I The Book on Christian Law (Chapters 1–33)

The Gulathing Law in a Theological and Church History Perspective. A commentary essay by Torstein Jørgensen

II The Book on Contracts (Chapters 34–50)

III The Marriage of Women (Chapters 51–56)

IV Freedman’s Law (Chapters 57–71)

V The Book on Tenancy (Chapters 72–102)

VI The Book on Inheritance (Chapters 103–130)

VII Summons to an Assembly (Chapters 131–147)

VIII Amendments (Chapter 148)

IX Rules for Whaling (Chapters 149–150)

X Concerning Personal Rights (Chapters 151–252)

XI The Book on Theft (Chapters 253–264)

XII The Redemption of Odal-land (Chapters 265–294)

XIII The Book on the Naval Levy (Chapters 295–315)

XIV A Later System of Wergild (Chapters 316–319)

XV Peace Pledge (Chapter 320)