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Solveig Sæmundardóttir
Solveig Sæmundardóttir (d. 1254) was an Icelandic heiress whose wealth made her a significant player in Iceland’s Age of the Sturlungs. Pursued in marriage by both Snorri Sturluson and his nephew and political rival Sturla Sighvatsson, she became head of the household at Sturla’s farm Sauðafell, which put her in danger in the Sauðafell Raid. She is known from ''Sturlunga saga''. Life Early life and marriage Solveig was the daughter of the chieftain Sæmundr Jónsson and one of his mistresses, Valgerð. Sæmundr stipulated that Solveig should have as much inheritance as her brothers. She and her mother sought help to enforce this decision, and Snorri Sturluson was called in to arbitrate. Snorri enjoyed conversing with Solveig and ruled that she should have her choice of inheritance.''Sturlunga saga'' (trans. McGrew), p. 194. He hoped to marry her, but the next spring she was married to Snorri’s nephew Sturla Sighvatsson, to Snorri’s displeasure. The marriage was arr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Age Of The Sturlungs
The Age of the Sturlungs or the Sturlung Era ( ) was a 42-/44-year period of violent internal strife in mid-13th-century Iceland. It is documented in the '' Sturlunga saga''. This period is marked by the conflicts of local chieftains, '' goðar'', who amassed followers and fought wars, and is named for the Sturlungs, the most powerful family clan in Iceland at the time. The era led to the signing of the Old Covenant, which brought Iceland under the Norwegian crown. ''Goðar'' In the Icelandic Commonwealth, power was mostly in the hands of the ''goðar'' (local chieftains). Iceland was effectively divided into farthings (quarters). Within each farthing were nine ''Goði''-dominions (''"Goðorð"''). The North farthing had an additional three dominions because of its size. There were 39 ''Goðorð''. The ''Goði''-chieftains protected the farmers in their territory and exacted compensation or vengeance if their followers' rights were violated. In exchange, the farmers pledged the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Snorri Sturluson
Snorri Sturluson ( ; ; 1179 – 22 September 1241) was an Icelandic historian, poet, and politician. He was elected twice as lawspeaker of the Icelandic parliament, the Althing. He is commonly thought to have authored or compiled portions of the ''Prose Edda'', which is a major source for what is today known about Norse mythology and alliterative verse, and , a history of the Norsemen, Norse kings that begins with legendary material in ''Ynglinga saga'' and moves through to early medieval History of Scandinavia, Scandinavian history. For stylistic and methodological reasons, Snorri is often taken to be the author of ''Egil's Saga''. He was assassinated in 1241 by men claiming to be agents of the King of Norway. Biography Early life Snorri Sturluson was born in (commonly transliterated as Hvamm or Hvammr) as a member of the wealthy and powerful Sturlungar family clan, Sturlungar clan of the Icelandic Commonwealth, in AD 1179. His parents were Sturla Þórðarson the Elder o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sturla Sighvatsson
Sturla Sighvatsson (Old Norse: ; Modern Icelandic: ; 1199 – 21 August 1238) was an Icelandic chieftain or '' goði'' of the Sturlungar family clan who played an active role in the armed conflicts in Iceland during the Age of the Sturlungs (Icelandic: ''Sturlungaöld''). Sturla was the son of Sighvatur Sturluson, brother of saga-writer Snorri Sturluson and lived on a farmstead in Sauðafell. Like his uncle, Sturla became a vassal to King Haakon IV of Norway, and fought to extend his influence in Iceland Iceland is a Nordic countries, Nordic island country between the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between North America and Europe. It is culturally and politically linked with Europe and is the regi .... Sturla was killed in the Battle of Örlygsstaðir. See also * Sauðafell Raid References 1199 births 1238 deaths 13th-century Icelandic people Military personnel killed in action Sturlungar family clan ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sauðafell Raid
The Sauðafell raid (Icelandic: Sauðafellsför or Sauðafellsferð) in January 1229 was one of the signal events in the increasing disorder that affected medieval Iceland during the period of violent struggle between rival elites known as the Age of the Sturlungs. Sturla Sighvatsson had supported the sons of Hrafn Sveinbjarnarson when they killed the rapacious chieftain Þorvaldr Snorrason of Vatnsfjörður at the burning of Gillastaðir in Króksfjörður in 1228. Þórðr and Snorri, Þorvaldr's sons, sought vengeance, and it was rumoured that it was Snorri Sturluson who encouraged them to direct their anger against Sturla, his own nephew, who was also his principal rival for power in the west of Iceland. During the winter after the burning of Þorvaldr the brothers rode by night to Sauðafell in the Dalir region, where Sturla lived, only to find that he was not at home. They broke into the farm and ransacked it, killing or wounding several of the inhabitants. After threatening ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sturlunga Saga
''Sturlunga saga'' (often called simply ''Sturlunga'') is a collection of Icelandic Norse saga, sagas by various authors from the 12th and 13th centuries; it was assembled in about 1300, in Old Norse. It mostly deals with the story of the Sturlungs, a powerful family clan during the eponymous Age of the Sturlungs period of the Icelandic Commonwealth. ''Sturlunga saga'' mostly covers the history of Iceland between 1117 and 1264."Sturlunga saga", Rudolf Simek and Hermann Pálsson, ''Lexikon der altnordischen Literatur'', Kröners Taschenausgabe 490, Stuttgart: Kröner, 1987, , pp. 339–41 It begins with ', the legend of Geirmundr heljarskinn, a regional ruler in late 9th-century Norway, who moves to Iceland to escape the growing power of King Harald I of Norway, Harald Finehair.Jan de Vries (linguist), Jan de Vries, ''Altnordische Literaturgeschichte'', Volume 2 ''Die Literatur von etwa 1150 bis 1300; die Spätzeit nach 1300'', Grundriss der germanischen Philologie 16, 2nd ed. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Battle Of Örlygsstaðir
The Battle of Örlygsstaðir was a historic battle fought by members of the Sturlungar family against the Ásbirningar and the Haukdælir clans in northern Iceland. The battle was part of the civil war that was taking place in Iceland at the time between various powerful clans during the time known as the Age of the Sturlungs. The Battle of Örlygsstaðir was fought on 21 August 1238 between Sighvatur Sturluson (brother of Snorri Sturluson) and his son Sturla Sighvatsson on the one hand, and Kolbeinn ungi and Gissur Þorvaldsson (later Earl Gissur) on the other. Sighvatur had nearly 500 men but there is no evidence available of the size of Sturla's following. Nonetheless, historians estimate that the Sturlungar had a total of 1000 men. Gissur and Kolbeinn had almost 1700 men in total. The areas controlled by the Sturlungar were more populous but the settlements were more scattered which made it difficult for the Sturlungar to assemble fighting men. The Ásbirningar and Hau ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gothi
Gothi or (plural , fem. ; Old Norse: ) was a position of political and social prominence in the Icelandic Commonwealth. The term originally had a religious significance, referring to a pagan leader responsible for a religious structure and communal feasts, but the title is primarily known as a secular political title from medieval Iceland. Etymology The word derives from , meaning "god".Byock, Jesse L. (1993). "Goði". Entry in ''Medieval Scandinavia, an Encyclopedia'' (Phillip Pulsiano, ed.), 230–231. Garland: NY and London, . It possibly appears in Ulfilas' Gothic language translation of the Bible as for "priest", although the corresponding form of this in Icelandic would have been an unattested . In Scandinavia, there is one surviving attestation in the Proto-Norse form from the Norwegian Nordhuglo runestone (N KJ65),The article ''gotiska'' in ''Nationalencyklopedin'' (1992) and in the later Old Norse form from three Danish runestones: DR 190 Helnæs, DR 192 Flemløse ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sturla Þórðarson
Sturla Þórðarson ( ; ; 29 July 1214–30 July 1284) was an Icelandic chieftain and writer of sagas and contemporary history during the 13th century. Much academic debate is dedicated to evaluating his life, bias as an historian of medieval Iceland and Norway. Biography The life of Sturla Þórðarson was chronicled in the Sturlunga saga. Sturla was the son of Icelandic chieftain Þórður Sturluson and his mistress Þóra, and grandson of Sturla Þórðarson the elder. He was raised by his grandmother, Guðný Böðvarsdóttir. He was a nephew and pupil of the famous saga-writer Snorri Sturluson. His brother was Icelandic skald and scholar Ólafur Þórðarson hvítaskáld. He fought alongside Þórður kakali Sighvatsson during the Age of the Sturlungs. Sturla was appointed law speaker over all of Iceland for a brief period after the dissolution of the Icelandic Commonwealth, and wrote the law book '' Járnsíða.'' Like his uncle, Snorri, and his brother, Óláfr, S ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
13th-century Icelandic Women
The 13th century was the century which lasted from January 1, 1201 (represented by the Roman numerals MCCI) through December 31, 1300 (MCCC) in accordance with the Julian calendar. The Mongol Empire was founded by Genghis Khan, which stretched from Eastern Asia to Eastern Europe. The conquests of Hulagu Khan and other Mongol invasions changed the course of the Muslim world, most notably the Siege of Baghdad (1258) and the destruction of the House of Wisdom. Other Muslim powers such as the Mali Empire and Delhi Sultanate conquered large parts of West Africa and the Indian subcontinent, while Buddhism witnessed a decline through the conquest led by Bakhtiyar Khilji. The earliest Islamic states in Southeast Asia formed during this century, most notably Samudera Pasai. The Kingdoms of Sukhothai and Hanthawaddy would emerge and go on to dominate their surrounding territories. Europe entered the apex of the High Middle Ages, characterized by rapid legal, cultural, and religious evol ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
13th-century Icelandic People
The 13th century was the century which lasted from January 1, 1201 (represented by the Roman numerals MCCI) through December 31, 1300 (MCCC) in accordance with the Julian calendar. The Mongol Empire was founded by Genghis Khan, which stretched from Eastern Asia to Eastern Europe. The conquests of Hulagu Khan and other Mongol invasions changed the course of the Muslim world, most notably the Siege of Baghdad (1258) and the destruction of the House of Wisdom. Other Muslim powers such as the Mali Empire and Delhi Sultanate conquered large parts of West Africa and the Indian subcontinent, while Buddhism witnessed a decline through the conquest led by Bakhtiyar Khilji. The earliest Islamic states in Southeast Asia formed during this century, most notably Samudera Pasai. The Kingdoms of Sukhothai and Hanthawaddy would emerge and go on to dominate their surrounding territories. Europe entered the apex of the High Middle Ages, characterized by rapid legal, cultural, and religious evo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sturlungar Family Clan
The Sturlungs ( Icelandic: ) were a powerful family clan in 13th century Iceland, in the time of the Icelandic Commonwealth. Their story is partly told in ''Sturlunga saga'', and members of the clan were significant participants in the civil war of the Age of the Sturlungs. The Sturlungs were a wealthy and influential clan. They controlled western Iceland, the Westfjords and north eastern Iceland. The patriarch of the Sturlungs was Sturla Þórðarson, whom scholars believe was born around 1115. He inherited his '' goðorð'' (domain, realm or area of influence) from his father Þórður Gilsson. Sturla quarrelled extensively with Einar Þorgilsson of Staðarhóll and many other chieftains. Jón Loftsson, a well-respected man, mediated in one of these disputes. Following this, he was entrusted with the upbringing of Sturla's son Snorri Sturluson, who later became the most influential of the Sturlungs and the most famous because of his literary endeavours. Snorri had two brot ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
