settingene

Settingene refers to a collection of early medieval Norwegian laws. These laws were not codified into a single comprehensive document but rather existed as separate regional laws, or "setting" in Old Norse. Each setting applied to a specific geographical area of Norway, such as the Gulating law for Western Norway or the Frostating law for Trøndelag.

These laws were orally transmitted for generations before being written down, primarily during the 12th and 13th centuries. The written versions reflect the legal traditions and societal structures of their respective regions. They cover a wide range of legal matters, including property rights, inheritance, criminal offenses, and family law. The settingene played a crucial role in establishing order and governance in medieval Norway.

The development of these regional laws was a gradual process, influenced by local customs and the evolving needs of society. Later, attempts were made to unify Norwegian law, culminating in the Magnus VI of Norway's national law code in the late 13th century, which superseded many of the older regional settingene. However, the influence of the settingene can still be seen in the foundations of Norwegian legal history.