Times of Change: Norway in the 13th Century

Edited by Mary Catherine O’Connor (University of Oxford) and Jonas Zeit-Altpeter (Universität Bonn)

ABOUT THE BOOK

From the reign of Sverrir Sigurðarson to Hákon Magnússon, Norway witnessed immense changes in the political, legal, cultural, and literary life. The reigns of Hákon Hákonarson and his son and successor Magnús Hákonarson lagabǿtir (‘the Lawmender’) brought an end to almost a century of civil wars and saw major revisions of the kingdom’s legislative systems. The reigns of both monarchs were characterised by political change, legislative reform, growing international contacts, and cultural transformation. Alongside these changes, both kings were deeply invested in the literary landscapes of their courts with each court becoming a hub of cultural and literary activity. However, change was not limited to these two monarchs. Ranging from Sverrir’s political manoeuvrings to Eufemia’s literary endeavours, the ‘long 13th century’ left a lasting impact on the politics and literature of the medieval North.

PROPOSED TOPICS

This book welcomes chapters on any aspect of the political, legal, cultural, and literary life of the Norwegian court. The book will continue the theme of our sessions, sponsored by the Viking Society, at the 2026 IMC in Leeds. We particularly welcome interdisciplinary approaches which highlight the intersection of historical and literary trends.

PUBLICATION

The volume will be published with Trivent Publishing in the Old Norse Studies book series (ISSN 3094-3264), headed by Felix Lummer, PhD.

DATES AND DEADLINES

• Abstract submissions by July 31st, 2026
• Full paper submission (after abstract acceptance) by November 1st, 2026
• Notification of acceptance (after peer review) by January 31st, 2027

ABSTRACT SUBMISSIONS AND CONTACT

Please submit your 300 word abstracts to Mary Catherine O’Connor (mary.oconnor@balliol.ox.ac.uk) and Jonas Zeit-Altpeter (zeitaltpeter@uni-bonn.de) by 31 July 2026.

DOWNLOAD THE CALL FOR PAPERS IN PDF FORMAT HERE.