Danelaw

[ deyn-law ]

noun

1. the body of laws in force in the northeast of England where the Danes settled in the 9th century a.d.
2. the part of England under this law.

Danelaw

/ ˈdeɪnˌlɔː /

noun

1. the northern, central and eastern parts of Anglo-Saxon England in which Danish law and custom were observed

Word History and Origins

Origin of Danelaw¹

before 1050; Middle English Dane-lawe, earlier Dene-lawe, Old English Dena lagu. See Dane, law ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of Danelaw¹

Old English Dena lagu Danes' law; term revived in the 19th century

Example Sentences

Once Alfred the Great defeated the Great Army at Edington in AD878, the warlord Guthrum retreated to East Anglia, where it was ruled under Scandinavian law and customs, known as the Danelaw.

From BBC

The annual festival in Sheringham was held to mark the time when the surrounding area was under Danelaw.

From BBC

But the geneticists see no trace of the Danelaw, the Danish rule over northern England from the ninth to the 11th century, nor of the Norman conquest of England in 1066.

From New York Times

The Viking armies that laid waste to parts of England, and for a while ruled what became known as the Danelaw, left little if any genetic trace, confirming that their success was due to their military prowess rather than large-scale population movement.

From BBC

As panicked politicians scramble to propose new devolution settlements, perhaps they should give up on the whole idea of a single national brand, and dig back into history’s back-pages to come up with splendid placenames, such as Mercia, Northumbria, Wessex and even Danelaw, each of which could sit in rough equality alongside Wales and Northern Ireland under some messily redesigned flag.

From The Guardian