The kingdom of King Magnus: Norway and the taxed territories

In 1274, Norway had a different extent than today and included the lands of Båhuslen, Jemtland, and Herjedalen, which were ceded to Sweden in the 17th century. The borders in the north were not yet fixed, and throughout most of the Middle Ages, both Norway and Russian Novgorod had interests in The Cap of the North. The Norwegian crown also had possessions across the sea to the west, the so-called tributary lands. At the time of the Laws of the Land, these included the Shetland Islands, the Orkney Islands, the Faroe Islands, Iceland, and Greenland. The Hebrides and the Isle of Man were ceded to Scotland by King Magnus in 1266. The Norwegian Realm, as Norway with its tributary lands has often been called, was never a unified kingdom, let alone an empire. The inhabitants in the tributary lands were however subjects of the Norwegian king, who paid him taxes and followed his laws. The Laws of the Land were also introduced to the Shetland, Orkney, and Faroe Islands. In 1281 the Icelandic Althing accepted Jónsbók, a collection of laws based on the Laws of the Land, but with some adaptations to particular Icelandic conditions.