The mid-tenth century saw the beginning of new developments in urbanization in northern Europe. These developments were a reflection of a tendency towards a more organized society, both politically and economically. Tenthcentury Denmark experienced a new level of political organization, which became especially pronounced during the reigns of Harald Bluetooth (r. c. 958-987) and his successors. This political organization manifested itself in a number of ways, including monumental building projects, urban fortification, as well as the minting of domestic coins. New specialized bulk cargo ships that developed in this period point to an increased security on the seas as well as indicating a higher volume of exchange. In conjunction with this, there was also a move towards more organized trade and exchange, which is also reflected in the specialized cargo ships as well as increasing regulation of coinage. The new towns that developed in the period show a different organization than the emporia, in that they combined regional administrative centres with trade in a single site. In this way, they provided for the new needs of a more organized society, in a way that the emporia could not. The administrative aspect of the new towns is reflected in royal involvement in not only their development, but also in some cases their initial foundation. Moreover, the conversion to Christianity meant that the Church gained a firmer position in Danish society. The earliest settlement of several of the new towns in this period coincides with the building of a church, and the first Danish bishoprics were created in the tenth century. The administrative needs of the Church would have been a further spur to urbanization and would have ensured a population of consumers in the towns. Likewise, royal administrators would have been a continued presence in the towns. The towns would also have served as a place of exchange for the surrounding rural areas, providing many of the same types of trade goods that the emporia had done, while also serving as dependable markets for rural produce.

In Scandinavia, the consolidation of royal power manifested itself in the creation of larger and more integrated states. In Denmark, an important period in this process coincides with the reign of Harald Bluetooth, who succeeded his father, Gorm, in 958/9 and was one of the first kings in a new dynasty, the Jelling dynasty.