Norwegian Knights and Reindeers ...

[rust]

After working on other settings for several months, I have now returned to my

Thule setting, the one with the knightly order from the Baltic coast that reloca-

tes to Thule / Greenland.

Norway will be the most important secondary location of this setting, for trade

as well as diplomacy: Bergen is the nearest major port and market, the knights

of Thule will be vassals of the Norwegian King, and the church on Thule is under

the control of the archbishop at Nidaros.

I would like to get my description of Norway in 1300 AD approximately right, but

it seems there are not that many sources, and those I have found are more con-

fusing than helpful.

My two main unsolved problems are:

Is Norway in 1300 AD a feudal society with the typical nobles and knights, not

very different from the European "medieval mainstream", or are there significant

differences between the Norwegian "high society" of the time and their southern

counterparts ?

Are the Sami in 1300 AD a part of the Norwegian society, or are they considered

to be enemies and to be fought or avoided (my setting would have use for some

experienced Sami reindeer breeders ...) ?

Any help with this would be most welcome - thank you.

[Trifletraxor]

Nah, not like the medieval mainstream. More primitive. The main fighting force was still aggressive farmers (like in the viking age) and the black death that arrived in 1348 collapsed the state tax income by killing about half of the population and destroying most of the noble houses. The arch bishop of Nidaros was the most powerful man in the country economically and politically. Hanseatene, a german trade guild, also had much power. The Sami are "part of the society", but mostly kept to themselves and led quite different lives.

SGL.

[rust]

Thank you very much.