Sami History II – the Viking and Middle Ages.

During the Viking Age, the Vikings from Iceland told histories about the Sami, mostly in relationship with the hides that where the most important good of trade between both peoples during this period. In this time the Sami goods were very valued for traders, but also for tax collectors and robbers, so these ages were very chaotic times for the Sami people. During the Middle Ages, the owners of the trade and tax rights within the Sami area were the “Birkarls”, who paid to the King to have this right. Many Sami where forcer to pay taxes to three countries at once (Sweden, Denmark, Russia) since there were not borders in the north.