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'''{{Lang|no|Lensmann}}''' in modern Norwegian or '''{{Lang|da|lensmand}}''' in Danish and older Norwegian spelling (lit.{{Literal ''translation|fief man''}}; [[Norse language{{Lang-non|Old Norwegian]]: ''lénsmaðr''}}) is a term with several distinct meanings in Scandinavian[[Nordic countries|Nordic]] history. The Icelandic equivalent was a {{Lang|is|hreppstjóri}}.
==Fief-holder==
{{see also|Lendmann}}
The term ''{{Lang|no|lensmann''}} traditionally referred to a holder of a royal [[fief]] in Denmark and Norway. As the fiefs were renamed ''[[Amt (country subdivision)|amt]]'' in 1662, the term {{Lang|no|lensmand}} was replaced with ''[[amtmand]]''. In Norway thethese office of ''lensmand'' and later ''amtmand''offices evolved into the modern ''[[fylkesmann]]'' office. By modernModern Norwegian historians, often use the term ''{{Lang|no|lensherre''}} (English: ''fief lord'') is often used instead of ''{{Lang|no|lensmann''}}, although from the legal point of view, the king was the fief lord, and the title used by contemporaries was {{Lang|no|lensmand}}, not {{Lang|no|lensherre}}.<ref>Mikael Berglund, [https://books.google.com/books?id=-s6Zh8qzPxEC Cross-border Enforcement of Claims in the EU: History, Present Time and Future], {{ISBN |9041128611}}, 2009, page 101</ref>
While the ''{{Lang|no|lensmann '' }} was a fief-holder from the [[nobility]], the ''{{Lang|no|amtmann ''}} was a [[civil servant]] thatwho might be [[ennobled]] as a reward. ▼
==Differences between ''lensmann'' and ''amtmann''==
{| class="wikitable" align=left▼
▲While the ''lensmann'' was a fief-holder from the [[nobility]], the ''amtmann'' was a [[civil servant]] that might be [[ennobled]] as a reward.
| Source:+Differences between {{Lang| no| lensmann}} and {{Lang|no|amtmann}}<ref>Steinar Imsen & Harald Winge (1999). ''Norsk historisk lexikon.'' Oslo: Cappelen Akademisk Forlag, p. 21.</ref> ||▼
▲{| class="wikitable" align=left
|- bgcolor="F1F1F1"
!align="left" width="260" | ''Office''
! {{Lang|no|Lensmann}}
! align="left" width="160" | Lensmand
! {{Lang|no|Amtmann}}
! align="left" width="160" | Amtmand
|-
| General governing power || Yes || No
| Fiscal accountability || No || Yes
|-
|}[[File:Norwegian police rank 008.jpg|thumb|upright|100px|Rank badge of a modern Norwegian police {{Lang|no|lensmann }}.]] ▼
▲|Source: || <ref>Steinar Imsen & Harald Winge (1999). ''Norsk historisk lexikon.'' Oslo: Cappelen Akademisk Forlag, p. 21.</ref>||
|}
{{-}}
==Peasant-lensmann ==
Modern historians use of the term ''lensherre'' is motivated by the need to distinguish the fief-holder from the ''hundred-constable'', who also was called ''lensmann'' in Norway, but ''sognefoged'' (parish bailiff) in Denmark. The Norwegian peasant lensmann was originally appointed among the franklins by the [[sysselmann]]. In post-medieval times a typical candidate to the lensmann office was a so-called ''good yeoman'', being of a wealthy family and/or enjoying respect or holding a leading position in the local society, and he was also elected by other good yeomen in their function as [[Court of appeal (Norway)#History|lagrette]] (''lay judges''). When the office of [[Vogt|fogd]] (bailiff) was introduced the peasant lensmanns in each ''fogderi'' were placed under him. In 1660 there were between 300 and 350 lensmanns in Norway. In the hierarchy of the state administration in a county (''len'' and later ''amt''), the farmer lensmann was subordinate to the bailiffs, the district judges and ultimately to the head of the county administration, the ''lensmand'' (fief-holder), later retitled ''amtmand''.
==Modern police officer==
The title {{Lang|no|lensmann }} is also used in an entirely different meaning in modern Norway, denoting the leader of a rural police district known as ''a {{Lang|no|lensmannsdistrikt ''}}.<ref>[http://www.regjeringen.no/nb/dep/jd/dok/regpubl/stmeld/20002001/Stmeld-nr-22-2000-2001-/3.html?id=431893 Stortingsmelding nr 22 (2000-2201) punkt 3]</ref> ▼
▲[[File:Norwegian police rank 008.jpg|thumb|upright|100px|Rank badge of a modern Norwegian police lensmann.]]
▲The title lensmann is also used in an entirely different meaning in modern Norway, denoting the leader of a rural police district known as ''lensmannsdistrikt''.<ref>[http://www.regjeringen.no/nb/dep/jd/dok/regpubl/stmeld/20002001/Stmeld-nr-22-2000-2001-/3.html?id=431893 Stortingsmelding nr 22 (2000-2201) punkt 3]</ref>
== See also ==
* [[Sheriff]]
[[Category:Law enforcement in Norway]]
[[Category:LawPolice enforcement titlesranks]]
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