Home Region: Northern Europe (Europe)

Icelandic Commonwealth

930 CE 1262 CE

D G SC WF R CC

EQ 2020 is_icelandic_commonwealth / IsCommw

Preceding Entity: Add one more here.

[continuity; Early Settlers] [continuity] Update here

Succeeding Entity: Add one more here.

1262 CE 1396 CE Kingdom of Norway II (no_norway_k_2) [continuity]

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General Description

Settlers arrived in Iceland in significant numbers starting from the late 9th century CE, mostly from Norway and the Norse colonies in Scotland and Ireland, bringing with them many people indigenous to the latter. However, language and culture were strongly Norse.
The Icelandic Commonwealth (Icel. íslenska þjóðveldið), occasionally called ’free state’ or ’republic’ (not to be confused with the modern republic) was established in 930 CE according to 12th-century historical documents. It was the first polity to cover the whole of Iceland and the smaller surrounding islands. Its territory did not change during its lifetime.
Icelandic society during the Commonwealth was strongly rural and never developed significant urbanization. However, centres of power, wealth and learning gradually emerged in the two bishoprics, monasteries and the homes of the greatest secular lords.
Iceland was mostly pagan in the early period but Christianity was accepted in 1000 and the first bishopric established in 1056. This not only brought Iceland closer to Europe but also introduced European culture and learning, and from the early 12th century the Icelanders started to produce significant works of literature in the vernacular but written in the Latin alphabet (sagas). The sagas are usually (at least recently) considered the greatest achievement of the Commonwealth and they flourished in the 13th century (both before and after 1262). However, this was also a time of war and loss of independence, making it difficult to assign it a ’peak’ status.
Population and political organization
There are no reliable figures for the total population in Iceland during this period. Common estimates range from 5,000-20,000 in 930 to 40,000-70,000 at the end. The only statistic that is somewhat reliable states that the number of tax-paying farmers around 1100 AD was 4,560. The relationship between this number and the whole population is uncertain.
The Commonwealth functioned as a federation of smaller political units with no fixed borders, the godords/chieftaincies (goðorð), with alliances between households led by a chieftain (goði or goðorðsmaður). Laws were common to all and there was a common judiciary system. In Lögrétta leaders of all the godords met once a year to decide on laws, forming the most important part of the proceedings of the Alþingi (’general assembly’), held in summer at Thingvellir. However, there was no common executive branch of government, leaving the godords quite autonomous.
The godords started to congeal into territorial lordships with fixed borders in the 12th century (the first one perhaps in the late 11th century), but this process was most rapid around 1200 CE and by 1220 they covered most of Iceland. These lordships functioned as practically independent tiny polities (or ’proto-states’) and proceeded to fight each other for supremacy. The ensuing civil wars (Sturlungaöld) ended in 1262 when the Icelanders swore allegiance to the Norwegian crown.
This description was provided by Axel Kristinsson and edited by Jenny Reddish.

General Variables

Identity and Location

1 Utm Zone

1 Original Name

1 Capital

1 Alternative Name

Temporal Bounds

1 Duration

Political and Cultural Relations

1 Suprapolity Relations

3 Supracultural Entity

1 Succeeding Entity

2 Scale of Supracultural Interaction

1 Relationship to preceding Entity

2 Polity Succession

1 Degree of Centralization

Language

1 Linguistic Family

1 Language

Religion

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale

1 Population of the Largest Settlement

1 Polity Territory

4 Polity Population

Hierarchical Complexity

3 Settlement Hierarchy

2 Religious Level

2 Military Level

1 Administrative Level

Professions

2 Professional Soldier

2 Professional Priesthood

2 Professional Military Officer

Bureaucracy Characteristics

1 Specialized Government Building

1 Full Time Bureaucrat

Law

1 Professional Lawyer

1 Judge

1 Formal Legal Code

1 Court

Specialized Buildings: polity owned

1 Market

1 Irrigation System

1 Food Storage Site

1 Drinking Water Supply System

Transport Infrastructure

1 Road

1 Port

1 Canal

1 Bridge

Special-purpose Sites

1 Mines or Quarry

Information / Writing System

2 Written Record

1 Script

1 Phonetic Alphabetic Writing

1 Nonwritten Record

1 Mnemonic Device

Information / Kinds of Written Documents

2 Scientific Literature

2 Sacred Text

3 Religious Literature

2 Practical Literature

2 Philosophy

2 Lists Tables and Classification

2 History

2 Fiction

2 Calendar

Information / Money

1 Token

1 Precious Metal

1 Paper Currency

1 Indigenous Coin

1 Foreign Coin

1 Article

Information / Postal System

1 Postal Station

1 General Postal Service

1 Courier

Information / Measurement System

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications

1 Wooden Palisade

1 Stone Walls Non Mortared

1 Stone Walls Mortared

1 Settlements in a Defensive Position

1 Modern Fortification

1 Moat

1 Fortified Camp

1 Earth Rampart

1 Ditch

1 Complex Fortification

1 Long Wall

Military use of Metals

1 Steel

1 Iron

Projectiles

1 Tension Siege Engine

1 Sling Siege Engine

1 Sling

1 Self Bow

1 Javelin

1 Handheld Firearm

1 Gunpowder Siege Artillery

2 Crossbow

1 Composite Bow

1 Atlatl

Handheld weapons

1 War Club

1 Sword

1 Spear

1 Polearm

1 Dagger

1 Battle Axe

Animals used in warfare

1 Horse

1 Elephant

1 Donkey

1 Dog

1 Camel

Armor

1 Wood Bark Etc

1 Shield

1 Scaled Armor

1 Plate Armor

1 Limb Protection

1 Leather Cloth

1 Laminar Armor

1 Helmet

2 Chainmail

1 Breastplate

Naval technology

1 Specialized Military Vessel

1 Small Vessels Canoes Etc

1 Merchant Ships Pressed Into Service

Economy Variables (Luxury Goods) Coding in Progress.

Religion Variables Coding in Progress.

Crisis Consequence Cases

2 Crisis Consequence

Power Transitions Coding in Progress.

Instability Events

16 Instability Event

NGA Settlements:

Year Range	Icelandic Commonwealth (is_icelandic_commonwealth) was in:
(930 CE 1261 CE)	Iceland

Home NGA: Iceland

General Variables

Identity and Location Icelandic Commonwealth (is_icelandic_commonwealth)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Utm Zone	27 W Expert	930 CE 1262 CE
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Original Name	Icelandic Commonwealth Expert	930 CE 1262 CE
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Capital	None (Absent Capital) Expert	930 CE 1262 CE
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Alternative Name	Icelandic Free State Expert	930 CE 1262 CE
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Temporal Bounds Icelandic Commonwealth (is_icelandic_commonwealth)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More
Duration	[930 CE ➜ 1262 CE] Expert
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Political and Cultural Relations Icelandic Commonwealth (is_icelandic_commonwealth)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Suprapolity Relations	none Expert	930 CE 1262 CE
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Supracultural Entity	Norden Expert	930 CE 1262 CE
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Supracultural Entity	Scandinavia Expert	930 CE 1262 CE
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Supracultural Entity	Latin Christendom Expert	930 CE 1262 CE
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Succeeding Entity	Kingdom of Norway Expert	930 CE 1262 CE
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Scale of Supracultural Interaction	3,400,000 km² Expert	930 CE 1050 CE
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Scale of Supracultural Interaction	5,600,000 km² Expert	1051 CE 1262 CE
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Relationship to Preceding Entity	continuity Expert	930 CE 1262 CE
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Succeeding Entity 1262 CE 1396 CE	Kingdom of Norway II (no_norway_k_2) [continuity] Expert
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Preceding Entity	continuity; Early Settlers [continuity] Update here Expert
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Degree of Centralization	nominal Expert	930 CE 1262 CE
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Language Icelandic Commonwealth (is_icelandic_commonwealth)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Linguistic Family	Germanic Expert	930 CE 1262 CE
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Language	Old Norse Expert	930 CE 1262 CE
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Religion Icelandic Commonwealth (is_icelandic_commonwealth)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale Icelandic Commonwealth (is_icelandic_commonwealth)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Population of the Largest Settlement	[200 to 300] people	930 CE 1262 CE
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Polity Territory	103,000 km²	930 CE 1262 CE
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Polity Population	[5,000 to 20,000] people	930 CE
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Polity Population	30,000 people	1100 CE
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Polity Population	[30,000 to 50,000] people	1200 CE
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Polity Population	[50,000 to 60,000] people	1262 CE
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Hierarchical Complexity Icelandic Commonwealth (is_icelandic_commonwealth)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Settlement Hierarchy	1	930 CE 1050 CE
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Settlement Hierarchy	2	1051 CE 1200 CE
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Settlement Hierarchy	3	1201 CE 1262 CE
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Religious Level	1	930 CE 1055 CE
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Religious Level	2	1056 CE 1262 CE
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Military Level	2	930 CE 1200 CE
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Military Level	3	1201 CE 1262 CE
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Administrative Level	4	930 CE 1262 CE
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Professions Icelandic Commonwealth (is_icelandic_commonwealth)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Soldier	Absent Inferred	930 CE 1200 CE
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Professional Soldier	Present	1201 CE 1262 CE
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Professional Priesthood	Absent	930 CE 1055 CE
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Professional Priesthood	Present	1056 CE 1262 CE
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Professional Military Officer	Absent	930 CE 1200 CE
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Professional Military Officer	Present	1201 CE 1262 CE
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Bureaucracy Characteristics Icelandic Commonwealth (is_icelandic_commonwealth)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Government Building	Absent	930 CE 1262 CE
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Full Time Bureaucrat	Absent	930 CE 1262 CE
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Law Icelandic Commonwealth (is_icelandic_commonwealth)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Lawyer	Absent	930 CE 1262 CE
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Judge	Absent	930 CE 1262 CE
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Formal Legal Code	Present	930 CE 1262 CE
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Court	Absent	930 CE 1262 CE
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Specialized Buildings: polity owned Icelandic Commonwealth (is_icelandic_commonwealth)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Market	Absent	930 CE 1262 CE
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Irrigation System	Absent	930 CE 1262 CE
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Food Storage Site	Absent	930 CE 1262 CE
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Drinking Water Supply System	Absent	930 CE 1262 CE
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Transport Infrastructure Icelandic Commonwealth (is_icelandic_commonwealth)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Road	Absent	930 CE 1262 CE
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Port	Absent	930 CE 1262 CE
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Canal	Absent	930 CE 1262 CE
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Bridge	Absent	930 CE 1262 CE
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Special-purpose Sites Icelandic Commonwealth (is_icelandic_commonwealth)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Mines or Quarry	Absent	930 CE 1262 CE
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Information / Writing System Icelandic Commonwealth (is_icelandic_commonwealth)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Written Record	Absent	930 CE 1100 CE
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Written Record	Present	1101 CE 1262 CE
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Script	Present	930 CE 1262 CE
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Phonetic Alphabetic Writing	Present	930 CE 1262 CE
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Nonwritten Record	Present	930 CE 1262 CE
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Mnemonic Device	Unknown	930 CE 1262 CE
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Information / Kinds of Written Documents Icelandic Commonwealth (is_icelandic_commonwealth)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Scientific Literature	Absent	930 CE 1100 CE
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Scientific Literature	Present	1101 CE 1262 CE
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Sacred Text	Absent	930 CE 1000 CE
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Sacred Text	Present	1001 CE 1262 CE
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Religious Literature	Absent	930 CE 1000 CE
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Religious Literature	Present Inferred	1001 CE 1100 CE
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Religious Literature	Present	1101 CE 1262 CE
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Practical Literature	Absent	930 CE 1100 CE
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Practical Literature	Present Inferred	1101 CE 1262 CE
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Philosophy	Absent	930 CE 1100 CE
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Philosophy	Present	1101 CE 1262 CE
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Lists Tables and Classification	Absent	930 CE 1000 CE
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Lists Tables and Classification	Present	1001 CE 1262 CE
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History	Absent	930 CE 1100 CE
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History	Present	1101 CE 1262 CE
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Fiction	Absent	930 CE 1100 CE
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Fiction	Present	1101 CE 1262 CE
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Calendar	Absent Inferred	930 CE 1000 CE
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Calendar	Present	1001 CE 1262 CE
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Information / Money Icelandic Commonwealth (is_icelandic_commonwealth)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Token	Absent Inferred	930 CE 1262 CE
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Precious Metal	Present	930 CE 1262 CE
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Paper Currency	Absent	930 CE 1262 CE
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Indigenous Coin	Absent	930 CE 1262 CE
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Foreign Coin	Present	930 CE 1262 CE
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Article	Present	930 CE 1262 CE
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Information / Postal System Icelandic Commonwealth (is_icelandic_commonwealth)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Postal Station	Absent	930 CE 1262 CE
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General Postal Service	Absent	930 CE 1262 CE
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Courier	Absent	930 CE 1262 CE
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Information / Measurement System Icelandic Commonwealth (is_icelandic_commonwealth)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications Icelandic Commonwealth (is_icelandic_commonwealth)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wooden Palisade	Absent Inferred	930 CE 1262 CE
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Stone Walls Non Mortared	Present	930 CE 1262 CE
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Stone Walls Mortared	Absent	930 CE 1262 CE
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Settlements in a Defensive Position	Present Inferred	930 CE 1262 CE
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Modern Fortification	Absent	930 CE 1262 CE
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Moat	Unknown Suspected	930 CE 1262 CE
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Fortified Camp	Absent	930 CE 1262 CE
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Earth Rampart	Absent Inferred	930 CE 1262 CE
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Ditch	Unknown Suspected	930 CE 1262 CE
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Complex Fortification	Absent	930 CE 1262 CE
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Long Wall	absent	930 CE 1262 CE
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Military use of Metals Icelandic Commonwealth (is_icelandic_commonwealth)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Steel	Unknown Suspected	930 CE 1262 CE
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Iron	Present	930 CE 1262 CE
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Projectiles Icelandic Commonwealth (is_icelandic_commonwealth)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Tension Siege Engine	Absent	930 CE 1262 CE
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Sling Siege Engine	Absent	930 CE 1262 CE
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Sling	Present Inferred	930 CE 1262 CE
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Self Bow	Present	930 CE 1262 CE
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Javelin	Present	930 CE 1262 CE
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Handheld Firearm	Absent	930 CE 1262 CE
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Gunpowder Siege Artillery	Absent	930 CE 1262 CE
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Crossbow	Absent	930 CE 1100 CE
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Crossbow	Present	1101 CE 1262 CE
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Composite Bow	Present Inferred	930 CE 1262 CE
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Atlatl	Absent Inferred	930 CE 1262 CE
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Handheld weapons Icelandic Commonwealth (is_icelandic_commonwealth)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
War Club	Unknown Suspected	930 CE 1262 CE
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Sword	Present	930 CE 1262 CE
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Spear	Present	930 CE 1262 CE
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Polearm	Present	930 CE 1262 CE
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Dagger	Present	930 CE 1262 CE
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Battle Axe	Present	930 CE 1262 CE
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Animals used in warfare Icelandic Commonwealth (is_icelandic_commonwealth)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Horse	Present	930 CE 1262 CE
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Elephant	Absent	930 CE 1262 CE
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Donkey	Absent	930 CE 1262 CE
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Dog	Unknown Suspected	930 CE 1262 CE
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Camel	Absent	930 CE 1262 CE
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Armor Icelandic Commonwealth (is_icelandic_commonwealth)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wood Bark Etc	Unknown Suspected	930 CE 1262 CE
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Shield	Present	930 CE 1262 CE
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Scaled Armor	Present Inferred	930 CE 1262 CE
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Plate Armor	Absent Inferred	930 CE 1262 CE
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Limb Protection	Unknown Suspected	930 CE 1262 CE
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Leather Cloth	Present	930 CE 1262 CE
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Laminar Armor	Unknown Suspected	930 CE 1262 CE
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Helmet	Present Inferred	930 CE 1262 CE
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Chainmail	Present Inferred	930 CE 1200 CE
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Chainmail	Present	1201 CE 1262 CE
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Breastplate	Unknown Suspected	930 CE 1262 CE
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Naval technology Icelandic Commonwealth (is_icelandic_commonwealth)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Military Vessel	Absent	930 CE 1262 CE
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Small Vessels Canoes Etc	Present	930 CE 1262 CE
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Merchant Ships Pressed Into Service	Absent Inferred	930 CE 1262 CE
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Economy Variables (Luxury Goods)

Religion Variables

Moralizing Supernatural Punishment and Reward Icelandic Commonwealth (is_icelandic_commonwealth)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Moralizing Enforcement is Broad	Absent	930 CE 1000 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Broad	Present	1001 CE 1262 CE
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Moralizing Supernatural Concern is Primary	Absent	930 CE 1000 CE
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Moralizing Supernatural Concern is Primary	Present	1001 CE 1262 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Agentic	Present	930 CE 1262 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement in This Life	Present	930 CE 1262 CE
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Moralizing Supernatural Punishment And Reward	Present	930 CE 1262 CE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Commoners	Present	930 CE 1262 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Targeted	Present	930 CE 1262 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement in Afterlife	Present	930 CE 1262 CE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Elites	Present	930 CE 1262 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement of Rulers	Present	930 CE 1262 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Certain	Absent	930 CE 1000 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Certain	Present	1001 CE 1262 CE
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Human Sacrifice Icelandic Commonwealth (is_icelandic_commonwealth)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More