Scandinavian history in the Viking age - Department of Anglo-Saxon ...

Scandinavian History in the Viking Age
H. Pálsson, The Vinland sagas: the Norse discovery of America; Grænlendinga saga and Eirik’s saga
(1965), 73-105 [repr. UL 660:3.c.95.6]; (B397):126-57; (B401): I,1-18. Commentary: B. Þorsteinsson,
‘Some observations on the discoveries and cultural history of the Norsemen’, SBVS 16 (1962-65), 173-
91; E. Wahlgren, ‘Fact and fancy in the Vinland sagas’, Old Norse literature and mythology: a
symposium, ed. E.C. Polomé (1969), 19-80 [UL 752:16.c.95.13]; R. Perkins, ‘The Furðustrandir of Eiríks
saga rauða’, MS 9 (1976), 51-98; M.G. Larsson, ‘The Vinland sagas and Nova Scotia: a reappraisal of an
old theory’, SS 64 (1992), 305-35
[B331] Fœreyinga saga or The saga of the Faroe islanders is the title given to a text reconstructed
from the sagas of Olaf Tryggvason and saint Olaf Haraldsson, although it is generally accepted that a
single original from around 1200 underlies these later compilations. Heavily dominated by the figure of
Thrand of Gata, the historical element is subsumed by the love of narrative. Text: F. Jónsson, Færeyinga
saga: den islandske saga om Færingerne (1927) [UL 752:34.b.90.1]; Ó. Halldórsson, Færeyinga saga,
SÁMÍ rit 30 (1987) [UL 752:1.c.5.34]. Transl.: F. York Powell, The tale of Thrond of Gate, commonly
called Færeyinga saga, Northern library 2 (1896) [UL 752:32.c.2.2]; M.A.C. Press, The saga of the
Faroe Islanders (1934) [UL 752:34.d.90.12]; G. Johnston, The Faroe Islanders’ saga (1975) [UL
752:34.d.95.17], and Thrand of Gotu: two Icelandic sagas from the Flat Island book (1994) [UL
752:34.c.95.49]. Commentary: P.G. Foote, On the saga of the Faroe islanders (1965), repr. (O6):165-87;
B. Almqvist, ‘Some folklore motifs in Færeyinga saga’, (O54):73-86
[B332] Grœnlendinga saga or The saga of the Greenlanders is another reconstructed saga only
preserved in compilations about Olaf Tryggvason in particular; it is nevertheless widely regarded as an
earlier version of the similar material found in Eiríks saga rauða (B330). Text: ÍF 4 (B420):239-69; H.
Hermannsson, The Vinland sagas, Islandica 30 (1944) [UL 752:4.c.1.30]. Transl.: M. Magnússon and H.
Pálsson, The Vinland sagas: the Norse discovery of America; Grænlendinga saga and Eirik’s saga
(1965), 47-72 [repr. UL 660:3.c.95.6]; (B401): I,19-32. See J. Jóhannesson, ‘The date of the composition
of the saga of the Greenlanders’, SBVS 16 (1962-65), 54-66, and for further commentary items under
(B330). A further text of interest is Grœnlendinga þáttr or Einars þáttr Sokkasonar, which is set in the
early twelfth century and records the appointment of the first bishop to Greenland: text in ÍF 4
(B420):271-92, transl. (H5):236-48
[B333] Orkneyinga saga or The saga of the Orcadians, also known as Jarla s²gur ‘Sagas of the
earls’, is devoted to the history of the earls of Orkney; originally composed around 1200, only later
revised versions are now preserved. Text: F. Guðmundsson, Orkneyinga saga, ÍF 34 (1965) [UL
752:1.c.3.34]. Transl.: A.B. Taylor, The Orkneyinga saga (1938) [UL 752:34.c.90.19]; H. Pálsson and P.
Edwards, Orkneyinga saga: the history of the earls of Orkney (1978) [UL 752:34.c.95.21]. Cf. also
Magnúss saga helga on saint Magnus; transl.: H. Pálsson and P. Edwards, Magnus’ saga: the life of St
Magnus earl of Orkney 1075-1116 (1987) [UL 1990.8.4835]. G. M. Brunsden, ‘Earls and saints: early
Christianity in Norse Orkney and the legend of Magnus Erlendsson’, History, literature and music in
Scotland 700-1500, ed. R. A. McDonald (2002), 60-92. Commentary: A.B. Taylor, ‘Orkneyinga saga:
patronage and authorship’, (A61a):396-410; P.G. Foote, ‘Observations on Orkneyinga saga’, (I163):192-
207; J. Jesch, ‘Narrating Orkneyinga saga’, SS 64 (1992), 336-55; F. Guðmundsson, ‘On the writing of
Orkneyinga saga’, (A50):204-11
Sagas of the kings of Denmark
[B335] A fair amount of material was composed in Iceland relating to the kings of Denmark, at roughly
the same time as the Norwegian traditions were put together. The basis for the earlier part until the midtenth
century seems to have been a now lost text called *Skj²ldungasaga, which is partially preserved in
an early modern Latin version; see B. Guðnason, Um Skjöldungasögu (1963) [UL 752:37.c.95.9]. It was
widely used as a source by mediaeval historians, but the material derived from it is for the most part
legendary and without historical value.
[B336] For a compilation of this material, see B. Guðnason, Danakonunga s²gur: Skj²ldunga saga,
Knýtlinga saga, Ágrip af s²gu Danakonunga, ÍF 35 (1982) [UL 752:1.c.3.35]; cf. J. Benediktsson,
‘Icelandic traditions of the Scyldings’, SBVS 15 (1957-61), 48-66
[B337] Knýtlinga saga ‘the saga of the heirs of Knut’ seems to have been modelled structurally on
Heimskringla (B322). It begins in the tenth century and covers Danish events down into the late twelfth,
with a heavy concentration on saint Knut Sveinsson, who was canonised soon after his death in 1086.
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