Leidang

The institution known as leiðangr (Old Norse), leidang (Norwegian), leding (Danish), ledung (Swedish), expeditio (Latin) or sometimes lething (English), was a form of conscription (mass levy) to organize coastal fleets for seasonal excursions and in defense of the realm typical for medieval Scandinavians and, later, a public levy of free farmers. In Anglo-Saxon England, a different system was used to achieve similar ends, and was known as the fyrd.

The first recorded instance of a Norse lething is disputed among scholars.^[1][2][3] There is considerable evidence that substantiates its existence in the late 12th century.^[1][2] However, there are also written sources and archeological evidence which indicate that the lething system was introduced as early as the tenth century, if not earlier.^[3]