Västgötalagen

"Västgötalagen" or the Westrogothic law is the oldest Swedish text written in the Latin script and the oldest of the Swedish provincial laws. The text was written sometime during the early 13th century and was the code of law used in Västergötland during the latter half of the 13th century. The oldest complete text is dated to 1281. Smaller fragments of an older text have been dated to 1250.

The law code exists in two versions, the "Äldre Västgötalagen" and the "Yngre Västgötalagen" (Elder and Younger Westrogothic law, respectively). The first republication in modern times was Hans Samuel Collin and Carl Johan Schylter in 1827. A new edition by Gösta Holm was published in 1976.

The list of Christian Swedish kings in the appendix of the "Äldre Västgötalagen" was written down by a priest called Laurentius in Vedum, Västergötland, around 1325, and its origin is not known. The list starts from Olof Skötkonung and ends in Johan Sverkersson. [ [http://www.nordlund.lu.se/Fornsvenska/Fsv%20Folder/01_Bitar/A.L5.D-Vidhem.html Original text] as hosted by the University of Lund. See Beckman, Natanael (S1886): Medeltidslatin bland skaradjäknar 1943:1 s. 3.]

ee also

*Geats
*Götalagarna
*Stone of Mora

References

* [http://www.kb.se/hs/Eng/codb59.htm Äldre Västgötalagen] from the National Library of Sweden
* [http://www.kb.se/hs/Eng/Fornisla.htm Old Swedish and old Icelandic manuscripts] from the National Library of Sweden

External links

* [http://hem.passagen.se/peter9/lag/vgindex.html Den äldre västgötalagen]