Justice Systems
The Vikings’ justice system was rather similar to ours. They had an oral culture without any written texts that established law and government. The free men gathered in their communities and created laws as well as decided cases in special meetings that were called a Thing. There was a Thing in each community. They had a plaintiff, a defendant, and a jury, just like our legal systems. For the most part, they were made up of a local and powerful family, or sometimes several families. When a malefactor was tried and found guilty, he would either be fined, declared semi-outlaw, or fully outlawed. This meant they were completely banished and were to receive no help from the community, and his property would be confiscated.
Justice Systems
Women’s Rights
Compared to the Viking women in Iceland and Greenland, Viking Age Scandinavian women had much more freedom. They were able to own property, request a divorce and reclaim their dowries if their marriages didn’t work out. If their husbands died, they were expected to take over his previous roles as providers for their households. Through this, women were able to obtain economic opportunities that were rare for women in other parts of Europe. There were even women who were warriors, traders, and farmers.
Women’s Rights