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IMC 2023: Sessions

Session 1544: Late Medieval Scandinavian Elites, II

Thursday 6 July 2023, 09.00-10.30

Sponsor:Institutt for historiske studier, Norges teknisk-naturvitenskapelige universitet, Trondheim
Organiser:Magne Njåstad, Institutt for historiske studier, Norges teknisk-naturvitenskapelige universitet, Trondheim
Moderator/Chair:Sigrun Høgetveit Berg, Institutt for historie og religionsvitenskap, Universitetet i Tromsø - Norges Arktiske Universitetet
Paper 1544-aIcelandic Elites and the Fishing Economy, 1400-1600
(Language: English)
Árni Daníel Júlíusson, National Museum of Iceland, Reykjavík
Emil Gunnlaugsson, Stefansson Arctic Institute, Akureyri
Index terms: Economics - Rural, Economics - Trade, Social History
Paper 1544-bHigh Altitude Farming and Long Distance Trading: Economic Elites and Networks in Inland Scandinavia
(Language: English)
Magne Njåstad, Institutt for historiske studier, Norges teknisk-naturvitenskapelige universitet, Trondheim
Index terms: Economics - Rural, Economics - Trade, Social History
Paper 1544-cElites and Networks of Credit in Late Medieval Norway
(Language: English)
Susann Anett Pedersen, Department of Historical Studies, Norges teknisk-naturvitenskapelige universitet, Trondheim
Index terms: Economics - General, Social History
Abstract

Our aim is to organize two sessions with the common theme 'Elites and networks in late medieval Scandinavia'. We want to discuss established views of the period as a period of decline for the economic and political elites of the Scandinavian regions, by analyzing strategies of coping with the changing prerequisites following the demographic crisis of the period. This implies both reconsidering the actual decline of the 'traditional' elites (political, economic and ecclesiastical aristocracies), and to expand the concept of 'elites' to include local urban, agrarian or other elites.

This session will focus on local elites and wealth based on non-agrarian products. We want to use the high-altitude forests of middle Scandinavia and the sub-arctic mountain regions as one case and the Icelandic fisheries as the other, with economic relations between local producers and the political-economical aristocracy as a third theme.