Editing History of Iceland (section)

===Norwegian rule===
Little changed in the decades following the treaty. Norway's consolidation of power in Iceland was slow, and the Althing intended to hold onto its legislative and judicial power. Nonetheless, the Christian clergy had unique opportunities to accumulate wealth via the [[tithe]], and power gradually shifted to ecclesiastical authorities as Iceland's two bishops in [[Skálholt]] and [[Hólar]] acquired land at the expense of the old chieftains.

[[File:Stockfisch.wmt.jpg|thumb|upright|For a long period, [[stockfish]] trade made up the bulk of Iceland's exports.]]
Around the time Iceland became a vassal state of Norway, a climate shift occurred—a phenomenon now called the [[Little Ice Age]]. Areas near the [[Arctic Circle]] such as Iceland and [[Greenland]] began to have shorter growing seasons and colder winters. Since Iceland had marginal farmland in good times, the climate change resulted in hardship for the population.<ref name="gestgjafinn.is">{{cite web |url=http://www.gestgjafinn.is/english/nr/349 |title=What Did They Eat? - Icelandic food from the Settlement through the Middle Ages |access-date=20 February 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120220165654/http://www.gestgjafinn.is/english/nr/349 |archive-date=20 February 2012 }} Information about Icelandic diet & history thereof</ref> A serfdom-like institution called the [[vistarband]] developed, in which peasants were bound to landowners for a year at a time.

It became more difficult to raise [[barley]], the primary cereal crop, and livestock required additional fodder to survive longer and colder winters. Icelanders began to trade for grain from continental Europe, which was an expensive proposition. Church fast days increased demand for [[stockfish|dried codfish]], which was easily caught and prepared for export, and the [[Cod#Cod trade/history|cod trade]] became an important part of the economy.<ref name="gestgjafinn.is" />