1200-1400 Under Norwegian Rule
The 13th century was a period of strife in Iceland, coming to an end between 1262-1264 when the Icelanders swore allegiance to the King of Norway. Over the following centuries the fisheries developed, and fish became the principal export commodity.
In the 13th century civil war broke out between the most powerful chieftains; battles were fought with spears, axes and stones. At that time the Icelanders were writing, in their native language, sagas which are now regarded as classics of world literature.
The King of Norway sought to win new lands, and under the terms of the Old Covenant of 1262-1264 the Icelanders became subjects of the Norwegian king. This marked the end of the Old Commonwealth, and the end of civil strife. A new legal code, and a new system of government, was introduced.
Fisheries grew rapidly in the 14th century, and stockfish (dried fish) became the most important export. The fisheries remained, however, largely a sideline to the principal occupation of animal husbandry.
The Key Object of this Time Period: The Valþjófsstaður Door
13th- and 14th-Century Exhibits
Highlights of the Exhibition
- The Old Covenant - Subjects of the King of Norway
- Fish Exports - Economic Shift
- Foreign Trade - The Trading Port of Bergen
- Subsistence and Specialisation - Changes in Farming Practices
- Literary culture - Writing in the Vernacular
- Religious Houses - Monastic Life
- Ecclesiastical Art - For Decoration and Education
- The Medieval Church - Catholic Rituals