Scandinavian history in the Viking age - Department of Anglo-Saxon ...
Scandinavian history in the Viking age - Department of Anglo-Saxon ...
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<strong>Scand<strong>in</strong>avian</strong> History <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Vik<strong>in</strong>g Age<br />
H. Pálsson, The V<strong>in</strong>land sagas: <strong>the</strong> Norse discovery <strong>of</strong> America; Grænlend<strong>in</strong>ga saga and Eirik’s saga<br />
(1965), 73-105 [repr. UL 660:3.c.95.6]; (B397):126-57; (B401): I,1-18. Commentary: B. Þorste<strong>in</strong>sson,<br />
‘Some observations on <strong>the</strong> discoveries and cultural <strong>history</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Norsemen’, SBVS 16 (1962-65), 173-<br />
91; E. Wahlgren, ‘Fact and fancy <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> V<strong>in</strong>land sagas’, Old Norse literature and mythology: a<br />
symposium, ed. E.C. Polomé (1969), 19-80 [UL 752:16.c.95.13]; R. Perk<strong>in</strong>s, ‘The Furðustrandir <strong>of</strong> Eiríks<br />
saga rauða’, MS 9 (1976), 51-98; M.G. Larsson, ‘The V<strong>in</strong>land sagas and Nova Scotia: a reappraisal <strong>of</strong> an<br />
old <strong>the</strong>ory’, SS 64 (1992), 305-35<br />
[B331] Fœrey<strong>in</strong>ga saga or The saga <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Faroe islanders is <strong>the</strong> title given to a text reconstructed<br />
from <strong>the</strong> sagas <strong>of</strong> Olaf Tryggvason and sa<strong>in</strong>t Olaf Haraldsson, although it is generally accepted that a<br />
s<strong>in</strong>gle orig<strong>in</strong>al from around 1200 underlies <strong>the</strong>se later compilations. Heavily dom<strong>in</strong>ated by <strong>the</strong> figure <strong>of</strong><br />
Thrand <strong>of</strong> Gata, <strong>the</strong> historical element is subsumed by <strong>the</strong> love <strong>of</strong> narrative. Text: F. Jónsson, Færey<strong>in</strong>ga<br />
saga: den islandske saga om Fær<strong>in</strong>gerne (1927) [UL 752:34.b.90.1]; Ó. Halldórsson, Færey<strong>in</strong>ga saga,<br />
SÁMÍ rit 30 (1987) [UL 752:1.c.5.34]. Transl.: F. York Powell, The tale <strong>of</strong> Thrond <strong>of</strong> Gate, commonly<br />
called Færey<strong>in</strong>ga saga, Nor<strong>the</strong>rn library 2 (1896) [UL 752:32.c.2.2]; M.A.C. Press, The saga <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
Faroe Islanders (1934) [UL 752:34.d.90.12]; G. Johnston, The Faroe Islanders’ saga (1975) [UL<br />
752:34.d.95.17], and Thrand <strong>of</strong> Gotu: two Icelandic sagas from <strong>the</strong> Flat Island book (1994) [UL<br />
752:34.c.95.49]. Commentary: P.G. Foote, On <strong>the</strong> saga <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Faroe islanders (1965), repr. (O6):165-87;<br />
B. Almqvist, ‘Some folklore motifs <strong>in</strong> Færey<strong>in</strong>ga saga’, (O54):73-86<br />
[B332] Grœnlend<strong>in</strong>ga saga or The saga <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Greenlanders is ano<strong>the</strong>r reconstructed saga only<br />
preserved <strong>in</strong> compilations about Olaf Tryggvason <strong>in</strong> particular; it is never<strong>the</strong>less widely regarded as an<br />
earlier version <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> similar material found <strong>in</strong> Eiríks saga rauða (B330). Text: ÍF 4 (B420):239-69; H.<br />
Hermannsson, The V<strong>in</strong>land sagas, Islandica 30 (1944) [UL 752:4.c.1.30]. Transl.: M. Magnússon and H.<br />
Pálsson, The V<strong>in</strong>land sagas: <strong>the</strong> Norse discovery <strong>of</strong> America; Grænlend<strong>in</strong>ga saga and Eirik’s saga<br />
(1965), 47-72 [repr. UL 660:3.c.95.6]; (B401): I,19-32. See J. Jóhannesson, ‘The date <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> composition<br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> saga <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Greenlanders’, SBVS 16 (1962-65), 54-66, and for fur<strong>the</strong>r commentary items under<br />
(B330). A fur<strong>the</strong>r text <strong>of</strong> <strong>in</strong>terest is Grœnlend<strong>in</strong>ga þáttr or E<strong>in</strong>ars þáttr Sokkasonar, which is set <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
early twelfth century and records <strong>the</strong> appo<strong>in</strong>tment <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> first bishop to Greenland: text <strong>in</strong> ÍF 4<br />
(B420):271-92, transl. (H5):236-48<br />
[B333] Orkney<strong>in</strong>ga saga or The saga <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Orcadians, also known as Jarla s²gur ‘Sagas <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
earls’, is devoted to <strong>the</strong> <strong>history</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> earls <strong>of</strong> Orkney; orig<strong>in</strong>ally composed around 1200, only later<br />
revised versions are now preserved. Text: F. Guðmundsson, Orkney<strong>in</strong>ga saga, ÍF 34 (1965) [UL<br />
752:1.c.3.34]. Transl.: A.B. Taylor, The Orkney<strong>in</strong>ga saga (1938) [UL 752:34.c.90.19]; H. Pálsson and P.<br />
Edwards, Orkney<strong>in</strong>ga saga: <strong>the</strong> <strong>history</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> earls <strong>of</strong> Orkney (1978) [UL 752:34.c.95.21]. Cf. also<br />
Magnúss saga helga on sa<strong>in</strong>t Magnus; transl.: H. Pálsson and P. Edwards, Magnus’ saga: <strong>the</strong> life <strong>of</strong> St<br />
Magnus earl <strong>of</strong> Orkney 1075-1116 (1987) [UL 1990.8.4835]. G. M. Brunsden, ‘Earls and sa<strong>in</strong>ts: early<br />
Christianity <strong>in</strong> Norse Orkney and <strong>the</strong> legend <strong>of</strong> Magnus Erlendsson’, History, literature and music <strong>in</strong><br />
Scotland 700-1500, ed. R. A. McDonald (2002), 60-92. Commentary: A.B. Taylor, ‘Orkney<strong>in</strong>ga saga:<br />
patron<strong>age</strong> and authorship’, (A61a):396-410; P.G. Foote, ‘Observations on Orkney<strong>in</strong>ga saga’, (I163):192-<br />
207; J. Jesch, ‘Narrat<strong>in</strong>g Orkney<strong>in</strong>ga saga’, SS 64 (1992), 336-55; F. Guðmundsson, ‘On <strong>the</strong> writ<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong><br />
Orkney<strong>in</strong>ga saga’, (A50):204-11<br />
Sagas <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> k<strong>in</strong>gs <strong>of</strong> Denmark<br />
[B335] A fair amount <strong>of</strong> material was composed <strong>in</strong> Iceland relat<strong>in</strong>g to <strong>the</strong> k<strong>in</strong>gs <strong>of</strong> Denmark, at roughly<br />
<strong>the</strong> same time as <strong>the</strong> Norwegian traditions were put toge<strong>the</strong>r. The basis for <strong>the</strong> earlier part until <strong>the</strong> midtenth<br />
century seems to have been a now lost text called *Skj²ldungasaga, which is partially preserved <strong>in</strong><br />
an early modern Lat<strong>in</strong> version; see B. Guðnason, Um Skjöldungasögu (1963) [UL 752:37.c.95.9]. It was<br />
widely used as a source by mediaeval historians, but <strong>the</strong> material derived from it is for <strong>the</strong> most part<br />
legendary and without historical value.<br />
[B336] For a compilation <strong>of</strong> this material, see B. Guðnason, Danakonunga s²gur: Skj²ldunga saga,<br />
Knýtl<strong>in</strong>ga saga, Ágrip af s²gu Danakonunga, ÍF 35 (1982) [UL 752:1.c.3.35]; cf. J. Benediktsson,<br />
‘Icelandic traditions <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Scyld<strong>in</strong>gs’, SBVS 15 (1957-61), 48-66<br />
[B337] Knýtl<strong>in</strong>ga saga ‘<strong>the</strong> saga <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> heirs <strong>of</strong> Knut’ seems to have been modelled structurally on<br />
Heimskr<strong>in</strong>gla (B322). It beg<strong>in</strong>s <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> tenth century and covers Danish events down <strong>in</strong>to <strong>the</strong> late twelfth,<br />
with a heavy concentration on sa<strong>in</strong>t Knut Sve<strong>in</strong>sson, who was canonised soon after his death <strong>in</strong> 1086.<br />
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