Society and Church in Iceland in the 11th–12th Centuries – an Interesting Phenomenon (according to Grágás)

Authors:

Pages: 242-262

Abstract:

This paper studies the relations between the Icelandic Church and the Icelandic society in a period when no state system functioned on the island – the period of the Icelandic Commonwealth. This medieval Icelandic state had a unique structure. At the national level, the General Assembly, the Althing was both court and legislature. There was no king or other central executive power. Iceland was divided into numerous geographical districts – goðorð, which were inhabited by clans or alliances run by chieftains called goðar. The chieftains provided for defence and appointed judges to resolve disputes between goðorð members. Membership in a goðorð was an individual’s decision, and one could, at least theoretically, change his allegiance to a goði at will. Icelandic court system included goðorð courts, higher-level courts, leading up to the four regional courts of the Four Quarters of Iceland. The Althing created a national Fifth court, as the highest court of all. At the Conversion of Iceland in 999 or 1000, the Althing decreed in order to prevent an invasion from Norway that all Icelanders must be baptized, and forbade the public celebration of pagan rituals. In 1117 the Icelandic laws were put into writing, and this written code was later referred to as the Gray Goose Laws (Grágás). These laws remained in force until 1271–1273 at which time the Ironside Laws based on Norwegian laws were adopted. The Commonwealth lasted until 1262 when the internal struggles of the Sturlung Era led to the signing of the Old Covenant in 1262, which brought Iceland under the Norwegian crown. After studying the church organization in Iceland, the punishments for breaking church laws and the system of inflicting those punishments on the basis of the text of the Christian Laws Section of Grágás the author has arrived at the conclusion that social control over the Church in Iceland during the Commonwealth period was very strong and effective. At the same time Icelandic society exerted great efforts to make its members good Christians.

Keywords:

Icelandic Commonwealth, Icelandic Church, Grágás, the Althing

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