De sista trälarna: En studie av träldomens avskaffande i Sverige under 1200- och 1300-talet

Sammanfattning: Slavery existed in the Nordic countries until the fourteenth century. There is some debate regarding how old it is and how common it was. However, it is generally regarded that slavery grew less common in Sweden during the thirteenth century and was abolished during the fourteenth century. Traces of slavery can be found in Swedish medieval laws, the so-called Landskapslagarna. Though nearly all of them contained regulations dealing with slavery their content varied. The most liberal of the Swedish medieval laws regarding slavery was Upplandslagen. Several factors contributed to the abolishment of slavery. One important factor was a change in agricultural production. During the thirteenth century a new system using tenants to farm land was introduced. Other important factors were the growing influence of Christianity, a stronger central government and the creation of a nobility class exempt from taxation. A change in attitude may be observed during the period through which slavery came to be seen as outdated. This is particularly noticeable in Upplandslagen and Södermannalagen, as well as Skarastadgan.