Signs of Power: Manorial Demesnes in Medieval Iceland

Manors and manorial demesnes are a familiar part of the medieval world of Europe, outside of the north. Very little focus has been on manorial demesnes in Iceland, which has an abundance of sources on manors and demesnes. These sources have mostly been overlooked, but this article reveals some of the rich history of Icelandic medieval manorial demesnes, shedding new light on the Nordic medieval world. Manorial demesnes in Iceland existed from as early as the sources go, the eleventh century, and probably earlier. They were the centre of chieftain and clerical power, large and populous farms with large production.