In 1274, the Norwegian King Magnus VI Lagabøte—Magnus the Lawmender (1238–1280)—issued a law that was to be used throughout the whole country. This law, the Norwegian Code of the Realm (Landsloven), was so up-to-date on ways of thinking and forming law that it turned out to be in use until the Norwegian Code of 1687, more than 400 years later. King Magnus’ Code was part of a law-making project that began with the revision of the Norwegian provincial laws in 1267, culminating with the Code of 1274, and encompassing the Code of the Towns of 1276 and the Administrative Code of 1277. Even the Icelandic Jónsbók of 1281 became part of the project, since Iceland became part of the Norwegian Kingdom in 1262/64.
The idea of broadscale law-making like the one found in the Norwegian Code of the Realm first emerged in Europe with the study of Roman...
