Conclusion To Serve A King, As All Other Lands In The World

Abstract

The most striking thing about the consequences of the Norwegian state-formation process for the tributary lands is not how and why they became a part of the Norwegian realm, but that they remained a part of it. More than anything else, this study shows that the king's physical presence was not decisive for establishing and maintaining direct royal lordship. The tributary lands were incorporated and integrated into the kingdom without a Norwegian king ever setting foot in the tributary lands to instigate or hasten the process. The law, the administrative structure, and not least of all the king's local officials and liegemen ensured that the tributary lands were also comprised in the Norwegian kings' state formation, and that they remained under the crown. Royal absence was also the normal situation in Norway for several centuries after 1319, and especially after the thirteenth century.Keywords: Norway; norwegian king; thirteenth century; tribunary islands