Medieval Manuscript – Codex Holmiensis – Jyske Lov

Denmark’s original and first law. Here reproduced in a beautiful copy from the 14th century. Large initial m to initiate the famous words: “Med lov skal man land bygge” (English: “With law shall land [i.e. the nation] be built”) Jyske Law called together with Sealand Law and the Scanian Law of the landscape laws. Jyske Law is the only country of the Community laws which are dated but on the basis of the contents of the tough questions is estimated Jyske Law to be the youngest.

This version of Jyske Lov is from the Monastery at Næstved Denmark 1479. In addition to the general decoration with initial letters in red and blue it has a large patterned initial in gold and different colors, which joins ornamentation with flowers and birds.

Its the only form of Gothic book ornamentation, that is known of this kind from this country. Of a Latin writes verse by the end of that it is written 1497 at the instigation of a monastery superintendent by name David, which is meant David Pedersen, which was 1488 Abbed in Forest Monastery.

Jyske Law was valid for the Jylland and Fyn, and dated the year 1241, which it is issued in King Valdemar Sejrs period of government. The king signed it in the royal castle in Vordingborg Sjælland.

The earliest known handwriting of Jyske Law, Codex Holmiensis 37, from the end of the 1200s, is stored in the Royal Library in Stockholm. How it has come to Sweden is not known.

Jyske Law was printed already in 1486 in German, while the Roman and the Danish text was first printed in 1504