In this first historical study of High-Medieval Iceland to be published in English, Dr Vesteinsson investigates the influence of the Christian Church on the formation of the earliest state structures in Iceland, from the conversion in 1000 to the union with Norway in 1262. In the history of mankind states and state structures have usually been established before the advent of written records. As a result historians are rarely able to trace with certainty the early development of complex structures of government. In Iceland, literacy and the practice of native history writing had been established by the beginning of the twelfth century; whereas the formation of a centralised government did not occur until more than a hundred years later. The early development of statelike structures has therefore been unusually well chronicled, in the Icelandic Sagas, and in the historical records of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. Based on this wealth of material,The Christianization of Iceland is an important contribution to the discussion on the formation of states.
This volume contains a translation of the version of the Saga of St. Jón of Hólar that is probably closest to the first Latin vita. It is only the second saga of an Icelandic episcopal saint to appear in a modern translation in the present century. The volume consists of two parts, the first comprising a general introduction and a translation by Margaret Cormack. The second part provides a detailed scholarly analysis of the manuscripts, contents, style, and literary connections of the saga by the late Peter Foote, one of the foremost scholars of Old Norse and Icelandic literature. The Jóns saga was written in the early thirteenth century, nearly a century after the death of its protagonist, the first bishop of the diocese of Hólar in Northern Iceland. The author of the saga combined Latin learning with native folklore to produce a readable narrative that is contemporary with the earliest family and contemporary sagas. This text provides valuable insight into the religious life of ordinary Icelanders in the thirteenth century, and the introduction corrects common misconceptions about ecclesiastical history and the cult of saints in Iceland. It will be of value to scholars of medieval Icelandic literature, hagiography, and history.
This major survey of Old Norse-Icelandic literature and culturedemonstrates the remarkable continuity of Icelandic language andculture from medieval to modern times. Comprises 29 chapters written by leading scholars in thefield Reflects current debates among Old Norse-Icelandicscholars Pays attention to previously neglected areas of study, such asthe sagas of Icelandic bishops and the fantasy sagas Looks at the ways Old Norse-Icelandic literature is used bymodern writers, artists and film directors, both within and outsideScandinavia Sets Old Norse-Icelandic language and literature in its widercultural context
Norse sagas concern tales of ancient Nordic and Germanic history, detailing early Viking voyages, the battles that took place during these voyages, exotic adventures in foreign lands and the migration to Iceland. These prose sagas were written in the Old Norse language, sharing similarities with epic poetry, telling of heroic deeds of days long gone. The tales offer an endless panorama of pagan chieftains, Viking warriors, historic saints, noble bishops and ordinary men and women, facing human dilemmas that troubled the ancient Scandinavian world. This eBook presents a comprehensive collection of Norse Sagas, with numerous illustrations, rare texts appearing in digital print for the first time, informative introductions and the usual Delphi bonus material. (Version 1) * Beautifully illustrated with images relating to the sagas * Concise introductions to the ancient texts * A generous selection of sagas from four categories: Kings’ Sagas; Sagas of Icelanders; Legendary Sagas; Bishops’ Sagas * Features many rare sagas appearing in English for the first time in digital publishing, including the Kings’ Saga ‘Sverris saga’ * Includes Frederick York’s rare translations of Bishops’ Sagas * Images of how the sagas were first printed, giving your eReader a taste of the original texts * Excellent formatting of the texts * Includes seven bonus collections of Norse Sagas * Special criticism section, with Conrad Hjalmar Nordby’s book evaluating the influence of Old Norse literature on English literature * Scholarly ordering of texts into chronological order and genres Please visit www.delphiclassics.com to browse through our range of exciting titles CONTENTS: Kings’ Sagas Sverris saga (Tr. John Sephton) Heimskringla (Tr. Samuel Laing) The Saga of Haakon Haakonarson (Tr. James Johnstone) Sagas of Icelanders The Story of the Banded Men (Tr. William Morris and Eiríkr Magnússon) Egil’s saga (Tr. W. C. Green) The Saga of Erik the Red (Tr. John Sephton) The Saga of the Ere-Dwellers (Tr. William Morris and Eiríkr Magnússon) Færeyinga saga (Tr. F. York Powell) Gísla saga (Tr. by G. W. DaSent) Grettis saga (Tr. William Morris and Eirikr Magnusson) The Saga of Gunnlaug the Worm-Tongue and Rafn the Skald (Tr. William Morris and Eirikr Magnusson) The Saga of Howard the Halt (Tr. William Morris and Eirikr Magnusson) The Saga of the Heath Slayings (Tr. William Morris and Eirikr Magnusson) The Saga of Hrafnkell, Frey’s Priest (Tr. John Coles) The Saga of Hen-Thorir (Tr. William Morris and Eirikr Magnusson) The Saga of Cormac the Skald (Tr. W. G. Collingwood and J. Stefansson) Laurentius saga (Tr. Oliver Elton) Laxdæla saga (Tr. Muriel A. C. Press) Njáls saga (Tr. George Dasent) The Saga of Viga-Glum (Tr. Edmund Head,) The Saga of Viglund the Fair (Tr. William Morris and Eiríkr Magnússon) Legendary Sagas Fridthjof’s saga (Tr. Thomas and Martha Holcomb) The Saga of Hervör and Heidrek (Tr. Nora Kershaw) Volsunga saga (Tr. William Morris and Eiríkr Magnússon) The Saga of Dietrich of Bern (Tr. M. W. Macdowall) The Saga of Thorstein, Viking’s Son (Tr. Rasmus B. Anderson) The Story of Norna-Gest (Tr. Nora Kershaw) The Tháttur of Sörli (Tr. Nora Kershaw) Bishops’ Sagas Hunger-waker (Tr. Frederick York) Saga of Saint Thorlak (Tr. Frederick York) Saga of Bishop Paul (Tr. Frederick York) Saga of John of Holar (Tr. Frederick York) Collections of Norse Sagas The Children of Odin: The Book of Northern Myths by Padraic Colum In the Days of Giants: A Book of Norse Tales by Abbie Farwell Brown The Heroes of Asgard: Tales from Scandinavian Mythology by Keary and Keary Legends of Norseland by Mara L. Pratt-Chadwick and A. Chase Stories and Ballads of the Far Past, by Nora Kershaw Told by the Northmen: Stories from the Eddas and Sagas by E. M. Wilmot-Buxton Viking Tales by Jennie Hall The Criticism The Influence of Old Norse Literature on English Literature, by Conrad Hjalmar Nordby Please visit www.delphiclassics.com to browse through our range of exciting titles or to purchase this eBook as a Parts Edition of individual eBooks
In the early 1800's, on a Hebridean beach in Scotland, the sea exposed an ancient treasure cache: 93 chessmen carved from walrus ivory. Norse netsuke, each face individual, each full of quirks, the Lewis Chessmen are probably the most famous chess pieces in the world. Harry played Wizard's Chess with them in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Housed at the British Museum, they are among its most visited and beloved objects. Questions abounded: Who carved them? Where? Nancy Marie Brown's Ivory Vikings explores these mysteries by connecting medieval Icelandic sagas with modern archaeology, art history, forensics, and the history of board games. In the process, Ivory Vikings presents a vivid history of the 400 years when the Vikings ruled the North Atlantic, and the sea-road connected countries and islands we think of as far apart and culturally distinct: Norway and Scotland, Ireland and Iceland, and Greenland and North America. The story of the Lewis chessmen explains the economic lure behind the Viking voyages to the west in the 800s and 900s. And finally, it brings from the shadows an extraordinarily talented woman artist of the twelfth century: Margret the Adroit of Iceland.
