page_title: Aristocracy of Norway
section_title: Setesveins
hierarchical_section_title: Aristocracy of Norway / Medieval clerical aristocracy / Setesveins
caption_attribution_description: Locator map of Hjelmsøya, Finnmark, Norway
context_page_description: Aristocracy of Norway refers to modern and medieval aristocracy in Norway. Additionally, there have been economical, political, and military élites that—relating to the main lines of Norway's history—are generally accepted as nominal predecessors of the aforementioned. Since the 16th century, modern aristocracy is known as nobility.
  The very first aristocracy in today's Norway appeared during the Bronze Age. This bronze aristocracy consisted of several regional élites, whose earliest known existence dates to 1500 BC. Via similar structures in the Iron Age, these entities would reappear as petty kingdoms before and during the Age of Vikings. Beside a chieftain or petty king, each kingdom had its own aristocracy.
  Between 872 and 1050, during the so-called unification process, the first national aristocracy began to develop. Regional monarchs and aristocrats who recognised King Harald I as their high king, would normally receive vassalage titles like Earl. Those who refused were defeated or chose to migrate to Iceland, establishing an aristocratic, clan-ruled state there.
context_section_description: Beside the clerical hierarchy, the Archbishop of Nidaros had his own organisation of officers and servants.
  Regional representatives of the Archbishop, setesveins (not to be confused with the noble title of skutilsvein) were seated mainly along the coast of Western and Northern Norway as well as in Iceland. A register of 1533 shows that there were at least 69 setesveins at this time. Their function was to administer the land estate of and to collect the taxes belonging to the Archbishop, and they also traded partly themselves and partly on behalf of the Archbishop. In Northern Norway, a typical location of setesveins was a central position with immediate control of the lucrative fisheries.
  Some setesveins belonged to the secular aristocracy too, usually by birth.
  After the Reformation in 1536, when King Christian III prohibited the Roman Catholic Church and the Archbishop went into exile, the King punished setesveins who had supported the Archbishop. Many of them had their houses robbed as the King and his soldiers raided the coast.
  In Northern Norway ex-setesveins and their descendants were known as page nobility (Norwegian: knapeadel).
caption: Hjelmsøya in Finnmark, where a setesvein named Sakse lived.
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