Iceland 1930

Bibliographic data

Monograph

Identifikator:: 1830571079

URN:: urn:nbn:de:zbw-retromon-221162

Document type:: Monograph

Title:: Iceland 1930

Edition:: 2. ed.

Place of publication:: Reykjavík

Publisher:: Ríkisprentsmiđjan Gutenberg

Year of publication:: 1930

Scope:: 193 S.; Tab., Kt., Taf.

Digitisation:: 2022

Collection:: Economics Books

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Chapter

Document type:: Monograph

Structure type:: Chapter

Title:: Constitution and law

Collection:: Economics Books

CONSTITUTION AND LAW [. HISTORICAL SUMMARY The colonization of Iceland was an entirely private undertaking on the part of the colonists themselves, who came thither in straggling bands from different quarters, and had no community of government. The first 60 years of the history of the country form a separate peri- od, while as yet there was no political organization for the whole is- land. It is not till 930 that the Icelandic commonwealth comes into being, when Althingi (the general sassembly for the whole country) s established and a code of laws (Ulfliét's Code) adopted for the whole country. The Icelandic commonwealth was a free and sovereign state, the most characteristic features in ils constitution being the assemblies {(, Things“) and the aristocracy. The godar (chiefs or priests), wielding the general government of the country, were at first probably 36. But later on, or about 965, their number was increased to 39, with a further addition of 12 godords (priesthoods or chieftaincies) in 1005, The old godar or chiefs were invested with much greater influence on the government than the new ones. The godords were not strictly geographical; they were a kind of personal union between the godar or chiefs on the one hand and their thingmen on the other, based on mutual confidence, and entered into for purposes of defence and dissolvable by either party at will. The office of the godi was indeed of a public character, but in some respects it was treated as the godi’s private property. It could not only be transmitted as an inheritance, but it might also be sold or given away without the thingmen having a voice in the disposal of it. A godord could be vested in several persons jointly, and similarly a single godi might hold a number of godords. This gradually led to the accumulation of the godords in the

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