The Reformation is one of the central themes of European history. This work describes the clash between the ideals of the Reformation and the early modern Danish state with a medieval peasant community on the periphery of the European state world.

Due to the clarity of the structures and the good source material, the study contains excellent illustrative material on a medieval society, its institutions and social problem-solving mechanisms as well as on the aims of the early modern state.

The economic consequences of Christian III's indebtedness in the Count's Feud and the significance of Bible translation for language development in Norway and Iceland as well as the problems of poor relief after the dissolution of the monasteries are also dealt with. In addition, the work sheds light on one aspect of the declining medieval Norwegian state.