The Theft of Food in Thirteenth Century Norway and Iceland

This chapter discusses how law codes in thirteenth-century Norway and
Iceland developed to treat the theft of food. The chapter demonstrates
innovations were taking place in thirteenth-century law to take into
account the circumstances of the thief, ensuring the most vulnerable in
society did not starve, and that the law code Járnsíða (sent from Norway
to Iceland in 1271) was a stepping stone in the creation of the Norwegian
Landslǫg (1274). Over time, the law was made more specifijic, the section
on theft was expanded, and a structure was introduced that allowed for
‘grades’ of theft based on the amount stolen and the background of the
thief, resulting in a coherent framework of rules regarding both legal
process and punishment.