Introduction: Pious Donations in the Medieval North

This introductory article explores pious donations in the medieval North. The purpose of the article is twofold. Firstly, it provides a historiographical overview of donations to highlight the importance of studying donor culture and practices from a Scandinavian perspective. Our aim is to introduce this specific field of research and emphasize the necessity of examining Scandinavian donations within the broader framework of European donations. Secondly, the article outlines the historical context of donations in Northern Europe and presents key concepts and themes that recur throughout the various contributions to this special issue. Notably, we introduce and explain the concepts of chantry, proventa, jus presentandi and fabrica discussing how these terms were used in their historical context and how they are applied in the articles featured in this issue.