Bloodtaking and Peacemaking: Feud, Law, and Society in Saga Iceland

by William Ian Miller

Dubbed by the New York Times as "one of the most sought-after legal academics in the county," William Ian Miller presents the arcane worlds of the Old Norse studies in a way sure to attract the interest of a wide range of readers. Bloodtaking and Peacemaking delves beneath the chaos and brutality of the Norse world to discover a complex interplay of ordering and disordering impulses. Miller's unique and engaging readings of ancient Iceland's sagas and extensive legal code reconstruct and illuminate the society that produced them.

People in the saga world negotiated a maze of violent possibility, with strategies that frequently put life and limb in the balance. But there was a paradox in striking the balance—one could not get even without going one better. Miller shows how blood vengeance, law, and peacemaking were inextricably bound together in the feuding process.

This book offers fascinating insights into the politics of a stateless society, its methods of social control, and the role that a uniquely sophisticated and self-conscious law played in the construction of Icelandic society.

"Illuminating."—Rory McTurk, Times Literary Supplement

"An impressive achievement in ethnohistory; it is an amalgam of historical research with legal and anthropological interpretation. What is more, and rarer, is that it is a pleasure to read due to the inclusion of narrative case material from the sagas themselves."—Dan Bauer, Journal of Interdisciplinary History

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Law, Medieval, Medieval History, Theory

415 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1990

Reviews

[Carl · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best book I know on Medieval Icelandic culture as expressed through the sagas (though PM Sorensen's Saga og samfund/Saga and Society is damn close). The first two chapters alone should have been (and only occasionally were) required reading in my reading and composition course on Norse literature and mythology. Miller does an excellent job explaining feud, economics, honor, gender roles, etc in the sagas while at the same time being properly aware of the problematic nature of any attempt to reconstruct "viking society" through the sagas. The reader is made aware that no such reconstruction is being attempted, at the same time that ample evidence is drawn on from both Medieval Icelandic culture (around the time the sagas were written) and the quasi-fictional vision of early Icelandic society presented in the sagas themselves.

[Anna Mia · Rating 5 out of 5]

William Ian Miller is one of the best Old Norse scholars of his generation, and this is the book which made his reputation.

At the beginning of its settlement, Iceland had no king. Medieval Iceland thus relied heavily on its legal system to maintain peace in the country. In his book, Miller, who has a legal background, examines the medieval Icelandic lawcode to uncover what it has to say about the society which adhered to its rules. In doing so, he offers a fascinating insight into a fascinating culture. If you have a scholarly interest in the sagas, in the Icelanders, or in Vikings, then this book is essential reading.

[Øystein Brekke · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me a lot longer to get through than I expected. While it is not only a book for academics, it is _quite_ academic in style, and a bit of an effort to read. But the examples taken from the sagas help, and the book is well written and well argued.

Words in conclusion: "Many of the men and women I admire (...) I must remind myself probably would make worse company in life than they do in books (...) the fact is that this was the kind of man whom anyone ending up in academia was unlikely to seek the opportunity to socialize with."

[Mick Gaughan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Miller has always made thoughtful points in his work

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had been a little apprehensive in attacking this book, since it had been described by a friend as being dry and esoteric. However, it is awesome. I've done a fair bit of reading in the Icelandic Saga literature, and I was thrilled to get an in depth historical and cultural context for them. Miller delves into many of the major conflicts from the Sagas, exploring the underlying forces which drove the feuds. I highly recommend this as a companion to Saga literature, but I'm not sure how easy it would be to follow if you aren't at least casually familiar with the Sagas already.

[Ron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Explains the to us somewhat alien legal concepts which in most cases constitute the cornerstone of medieval Icelandic saga literature. After reading this book you might even consider reading Old Icelandic legal texts exciting.

[Katharyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read for HIST 498D: Law and Society in Medieval Europe

[Shane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not usually one who reads historic non-fiction but I found this author really enjoyable.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hands down, the best book on the subject. Miller is brilliant.