What is leid?

Leid, also known as lyd, leit, or leith, refers to a historical system of maritime defense in Scandinavian countries, primarily Norway and Sweden. It was essentially a levy, often in the form of ships and manpower, imposed on coastal districts to provide naval power for defense or offense.

Here's a breakdown of important aspects:

• Purpose: The primary purpose of Leid was to create and maintain a coastal defense fleet.
• Organization: The organization of the Leid system varied over time and between regions, but it generally involved dividing the coastline into districts obligated to provide a certain number of ships and men.
• Ships: The types of ships used in Leid ranged from small, local vessels to larger warships, depending on the needs and resources of the region.
• Obligation: The obligation of coastal districts meant providing not only ships, but also equipping them and supplying provisions for the crews.
• Decline: The decline of Leid occurred as centralized state power increased and professional navies were established, making the decentralized leid system less necessary and less effective.