About...The Thralls of Norveg

Slaves or thralls were among the most important commodities traded by the Vikings. They acquired slaves primarily on their expeditions & raids and also with trade in Latium..  They could also obtain Viking slaves at home, as crimes like murder and thievery were punished with slavery. They could also be born into slavery if both their parents where slaves or if a thrall was impregnated by a freeman, but the freeman declined to acknowledge the child

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Thralls were at the bottom of Viking society and held few rights. They were chattel, similar to cattle and other livestock. Killing or harming one's own slave was not a crime, merely wasteful of property. . One of the few rights held by slaves was the ability to enter in to marriage. A slave was permitted to own a small knife, that could only be used as a tool or in self defense against potential enemies of Norveg. They could not use it against any freeman of Norveg

A slave could accumulate property, and with care, could accumulate enough wealth to buy their freedom from their master.