Norway had a period of expansion during the 12th and the 13th centuries; during this time the population grew. Towards the end of the Middle Ages, however, Norway became an impoverished country which was ruled by Denmark.
Norway is a sparsely populated country. In the Middle Ages, the farms lay far apart from one another. The peasants made a living from raising cattle and fishing. The Church was very influential, since it owned the greater part of all land. Only a third of the peasants were freeholders with land of their own. The 13th century was a time of progress and the population grew. Furthermore, Greenland and Iceland belonged to Norway.
Trade with the countries to the west and south was important to Norway. The Hanseatic League, (or the Hansa), and the German merchants totally dominated the trade in the few towns of the country. Bergen was the most important commercial port. Fish, particularly dried fish, was exported. Salt from Lübeck was the main article of import.
In 1349 an English ship with a cargo of cloth arrived in the harbour of Bergen. On the ship were victims of the dreaded plague. The Black Death was a great blow to Norway. The greater part of the population may have died and many farms were deserted.
In 1319, Magnus Eriksson became the King of both Norway and Sweden. The two countries formed a union which lasted till the middle of the 14th century. In 1380, Norway and Denmark shared the same King. The union between these two countries expanded when Sweden joined them in 1389 - these countries now formed the largest kingdom in Europe. The regent was Queen Margareta. Denmark was the most influential country of the Union. Sweden left the Union in the 15th century, whilst the union between Norway and Denmark lasted until 1814.