This study traces the history of urbanization in Denmark from c. 500 to 1350 and explores how interconnected political, religious, and economic factors were instrumental in bringing about the growth of towns. Prior to urban development, certain specialized sites such as elite residences and coastal landing places performed many of the functions that would later be taken over by medieval towns. Fundamental changes in political power, the coming of Christianity, and economic development over the course of the Viking and Middle Ages led to the abandonment of these sites in favour of new urban settlements that would come to form the political, religious, and economic centres of the medieval kingdom. Bringing together both archaeological and historical sources, this study illustrates not only how certain cultural and economic shifts were crucial to the development of towns, but also the important role urbanization had in the transition from Viking to medieval Denmark.
Author(s): Maria Corsi
Series: The Early Medieval North Atlantic
Publisher: Amsterdam University Press
Year: 2020
Language: English
Pages: 268
City: Amsterdam
Cover
Table of Contents
Abbreviations
Acknowledgments
Introduction
1. Productive Sites and Landing Places
2. The Emporia Network
3. New Forms of Urbanization (c. 950-c.1050)
4. Urbanization c. 1050-1200
5. Urbanization to 1350
6. Conclusion
Bibliography
Index
List of Tables
Table 1. Danish Mints Ranked by Output (percentages, estimates based on the Danish hoards)
Table 2. Svein Estidsen and his family (Kings and their reigns are in bold)
Table 3. Coins types minted in Denmark ca. 995-1241.
Table 4. Urban Taxes Levied on Zealand, Lolland, and Falster Ranked by Size, c. 1241
Table 5. Chronology of occupations in medieval Denmark from written sources, c. 1000-1350.
List of Maps
Map 1. Denmark with towns founded before 1350.
Map 2. Magnate and productive sites mentioned in the text.
Map 3. Denmark with landing places. Sites mentioned in the text are labelled.
Map 4. North European emporia.
Map 5. Distribution of Sceattas (8th century).
Map 6. Denmark with Trelleborg fortresses and fortified sites.
Map 7. Denmark with mint sites and towns founded before 1050.
Map 8. Denmark with towns founded before 1200.
Map 9. Denmark with bishoprics following Svein Estridsen’s diocesan reform.
Map 10. Denmark with towns founded 1200-1350.
Map 11. Denmark with location of mendicant foundations to the mid-14th century.193
List of Figures
Figure 1. Ribe Series X Sceat of Woden-Monster Type, c. 710-720. Photo: Classical Numismatic Group, Inc., Wikimedia Commons.
Figure 2. Hedeby Cross-Coin Type, c. 975/80 – c. 985/90. Photo: Nationalmuseet, Denmark.
Figure 3. Roskilde Cathedral Chapter’s oldest seal depicting St. Lucius in front of the cathedral towers. The seal is made from walrus tusk and dates to the first half of the twelfth century. Photo: Lennart Larsen / Nationalmuseet, Denmark.
Figure 4. Lund Cathedral in 2017.
