m. [árr, nuntius, or ár, annona], a steward, esp. of royal estates in Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, also of the earls’ estates in the Orkneys. As Icel. had neither earls nor kings, it is very rare, perhaps an απ. λεγ. in Landn. 124 (of the stewards of Geirmund heljarskinn). In Norway the ármenn of the king were often persons of low birth, and looked upon with hatred and disrespect by the free noblemen of the country, cp. e. g. Ó. H. 113, 120 (synonymous with konungs þræll), Eb. ch. 2; the ármenn were a sort of royal policemen and tax gatherers, Fms. xi. 261, Orkn. 444, Eg. 79, 466, Gþl. 12 (where it is different from sýslumaðr); erkibiskups á., N. G. L. i. 175.

COMPD: ármannsréttr.