The Land Tenancy section is the longest section of the Laws of the Land. In the time of the Laws of the Land, Norway was primarily a farmers’ society; therefore, it is not surprising that large parts of the laws concern the regulation of agricultural property. The Land Tenancy section is based on the fact that most farmers in the High Middle Ages were tenants, which means that they paid rent to landowners. This section can almost be seen as a handbook for rural life in the High Middle Ages. Here, one can find instructions on how to pull a ship ashore, exact descriptions of how to make a gate in a fence, which way roads should go, and how they should be maintained. Rivers are also considered roads. In this case, the nearest farm is obliged to provide the ferryman with what is needed. The laws specify fines and punishments for causing damage to another man’s property, including livestock. As elsewhere in the laws, there is a clear distinction between negligent and intentional damage. The Land Tenancy section provides clear guidelines and obligations to take care of the poor and stipulates large fines for those who neglect this duty.
