The Sturlungage as an Age of Saga Writing

Abstract

Click to increase image sizeClick to decrease image size NotesSaemund Sigfusson and the Oddaverjar, “lslandica,” Vol. XXII.Einar Ölaf Sveinsson, Sturlungaöld, Reykjavik, 1940 and Sagnaritun Oddaverja, “Íziensk Fraedi,” Vol. I, Reykjavik, 1937.Zum Isländischen Fehdewesen inder Sturlungzeit, Berlin,1912.Bogi Th. Melsted, Ütanstefnur og erindrekar útlendra, pjódhöfdingja á Sturlungaöldinni, 1200–1264, “Timarit,” 1899–1900.Snorri Sturluson (Reykjavik, 1920), p. 253.Gudmund Arason the Good; born 1161; Bishop of Holar 1203–37; vide: The Life of Gudmund the Good, Bishop of Holar, translatedfrom the original lcelandic sources by G. Turville-Petre and E. S. Olszewska, Coventry: The Viking Society for Northern Research, 1942. This is the first English translation with a valuable preface and introductory notes.Here I accept Snorri’s authorship of Egils saga which is well argued by S. Nordal in the Introduction to “Islensk Fornrit,” Vol. II, Reykjavik, 1933 and Skirnir, 1941.1124–97. For Jón’s conflict with Bishop Thorlak here referred to, see Biskupasögur,ed. G. Vigfusson(Copenhagen, 1858), I, 282–92.Saemund Jónsson who like his father Jón Loptsson was adeacon died in 1222.Cf. Nordal, Sturl pórđarson og Grettis saga,“ Islenzk Fraedi,“Vol. IV, Reykjavik, 1938.Op. cit.Um Sturlungu in “Safn til sögu Islands” (Copenhagen, 1902), III, 193–510.Um Íslendinga sögu Sturlu pórđarsonar, “Safn” (Reykjavik, 1933–35), VI, 2–4.Sturlunga saga, ed. G.Vigfusson(Oxford, 1878), II, 159–68, chapters cclvi-cclix.Based on theresearches of B. M. Ölsen and P. Sigurdsson, op.cit.Íslenzk Fraedi,” Vol. VIII, Reykjavik, 1940. An English summary is included with the monograph.For the best study of the manuscripts of Sturlunga saga, see Kr. Kaalund in “Om Haandskrifterne af Sturlunga saga,” Aarbpger for Nordisk Oldkyndighed og Historie (1901), pp. 259–300 and the Introduction to his edition of Sturlunga saga, 2 vols., Copenhagen, 1906–11.Christiania Videnskabs-Selskabs Forhandlinger Jor 1910, No. 6. This monograph is discussed in “Safn,” VI, No. 4, pp. 155–62.“Safn,” III, 224–54.Ibid., pp. 223–24 where B. M. Ölsen suggests that the source for some of the eventsof the saga was Gudny Bödvarsd6ttir, Sturla’s grandmother (d. 1221)and thatthis saga, written before Sturla began writing lslendinga saga, is in the nature of a ProloguetoSturla’shistory.“Safn,” VI, No. 4, p. 157.Ibid ., pp. 158–62.The manuscript called Resenbók, which contains the earliest of the three lives of Bishop Gudmund. The compiler of this life seems to have used the contemporary account of Gudmund attributed to Abbot Lambkar (d. 1242?), the author of Prestssaga, some parts of Islendinga saga, Hrafns saga, and Arons saga. See Turville-Petre, op. cit., pp. xxvi-vii and B. M. Ölsen, “Safn,” VI, 226–32 and 272–86.This is the name given by G.Vigfusson to the MS A.M. 65740;a later manuscript than Resenbók, but which in some partsseems nearer to the original of Abbot Lambkar than the narrative of Gudmund as a priest in Resenbók.“Íslenzk Fraedi,“Vol. VIII, op. cit.The Saga of King Sverri of Norway, translatedby J. Sephton, “Northerp. Library,“Vol. IV, London,1899.Sturlunga saga, ed. Björn Bjarnarson(Reykjavik, 1908), I, 157.Biskupa sögur(ed. 1858), I, 565–66.Ibid., II, 27. Inboth examples “a short account” translates bréf.Íslenzk Fornrit,” Introduction, III, lxii-xcvii.Ibid., p. xxix.Hrafnkatla, “ÍslenzkFraedi,” Vol. VII, Reykjavik,1940.Íslenzk Fraedi,” Vol. IV,op.cit.E.Ó. Sveinsson, Um Njalu (Reykjavik, 1933), I, 67–219.Ibid., p. 341.Sturlunga saga (Reykjavik edition, 1915), IV, 95:“Thorgil rode to Hrafnagil where he was weil received and quartered his men. He was asked to decide whether the evening’s entertainment should be sagas or dancing. When he asked what sagas were available and had been told that they had the saga of Archbishop Thomas, he chose that saga because he lovedhim more than any other saint. The saga was thenreadup to the point where the Archbishop was set upon in church and his mitre cut away from him…”E. Ó. Sveinsson, Um Njdlu, p. 318.Ibid., p. 218.Egils saga, “Fornrit,” Introduction, II, liii–lxx.Collected Essays ofW. P. Ker, II,195.“Safn,“ III, 436.Prolegomena to his Oxford Edition ofSturlunga saga, p.cvi.“Bókmenta saga lslendinga(Copenhagen, 1904),II, 332–33.Prolegomena, op. cit ., p. cvii.Styrmir Karason him fróđi who became Prior of Videyarklaustr in 1235 anddied there in 1245. Described by F. Jónsson in Bókmenta saga lslendinga II, 296, as a goodJa wyer, a close friend of Snorri. An industrious man with a good memory who spent much of bis time collecting and supplementing the works of previouswriters. A man withonerulingpassion—tobeconsideredalearnedman.Snorri Sturluson(Reykjavik, 1920), p.158.Cf .E .Ö. Sveinsson,Sturlungaöld, op. cit.Snorri Sturluson, p. 255.Cf. Gudni Jónsson’s general introduction to the new,Islendinga-sagnautgafun of theIslendinga sögur (Reykjavik, 1946), I, and partirularly pp.xv–xviii.