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| {{Short description|Norwegian saga}} | |||
| {{Italic title}} | {{Italic title}} | ||
| '''''Sverris saga''''' is one of the ]. Its subject is King ] of Norway (r. 1177–1202) and it is the main source for this period of ]. As the foreword tells us, the saga in its final form consists of more than one part. Work first began in 1185 under the king’s direct supervision. It is not known when it was finished, but presumably it was well known when ] began writing his '']'' in the 1220s since Snorri ends his account where ''Sverris saga'' begins. Thus the saga is contemporary or near-contemporary with the events it describes. The saga is obviously written by someone sympathetic to Sverre’s cause, but the strict demands of the genre ensure some degree of impartiality.<ref>{{cite web | '''''Sverris saga''''' is one of the ]. Its subject is King ] of Norway (r. 1177–1202) and it is the main source for this period of ]. As the foreword tells us, the saga in its final form consists of more than one part. Work first began in 1185 under the king’s direct supervision. It is not known when it was finished, but presumably it was well known when ] began writing his '']'' in the 1220s since Snorri ends his account where ''Sverris saga'' begins. Thus the saga is contemporary or near-contemporary with the events it describes. The saga is obviously written by someone sympathetic to Sverre’s cause, but the strict demands of the genre ensure some degree of impartiality.<ref>{{cite web | ||
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| |publisher= Store norske leksikon | |publisher= Store norske leksikon | ||
| |author= Knut Ødegård | |author= Knut Ødegård | ||
| |accessdate=October 27, 2015}}</ref> | |accessdate=October 27, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | ||
| <ref>{{cite web | |||
| |url= https://nbl.snl.no/Sverre_Sigurdsson | |url= https://nbl.snl.no/Sverre_Sigurdsson | ||
| |title= Sverre Sigurdsson, Konge | |title= Sverre Sigurdsson, Konge | ||
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| ==Authorship and composition== | ==Authorship and composition== | ||
| The first distinct part of the saga is called ''Grýla'' and describes the events until the aftermath of Sverre's first major victory at the ] (''slaget på Kalvskinnet'') outside ] in 1179. Central to this part is Sverre's claim to be the son of King ] and his struggle against his rival claimant ]. According to the foreword, ''Grýla'' was written by ], the Abbot from Þingeyrar monastery |
The first distinct part of the saga is called ''Grýla'' and describes the events until the aftermath of Sverre's first major victory at the ] (''slaget på Kalvskinnet'') outside ] in 1179. Central to this part is ]'s claim to be the son of King ] and his struggle against his rival claimant ]. Sverre's supporters were called the ]s while his opponents were known as the ]s. According to the foreword, ''Grýla'' was written by ], the Abbot from ] in the north of ]. Karl Jónsson is known to have visited Norway from 1185 to c. 1188. Sverre is supposed to have served as ''Grýla''’s main source and decided what should be written. The Saga ends at Sverre's death in 1202 and was completed afterwards, perhaps by Karl Jónsson as well.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://nbl.snl.no/Karl_J%C3%B3nsson |title=Karl Jónsson Sagaforfatter, Abbed |publisher=Norsk biografisk leksikon |author=Magnus Stefansson |accessdate=October 27, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.northwest.is/1sogulegirstadir2.asp#thingeyrar |title=Þingeyrarklaustur |publisher=Historical Places in Northwest Iceland |accessdate=October 27, 2015}}</ref><ref name=CNN>{{cite web |url=https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/25/science/well-man-bones-norse-saga |title=Scientists say skeletal remains found in castle well belong to figure from 800-year-old saga |author=Ashley Strickland |publisher=CNN |date=October 25, 2024}}</ref> | ||
| |url= https://nbl.snl.no/Karl_J%C3%B3nsson | |||
| The saga recorded a battle at ] castle in 1197. The Baglers launched a surprise attack and entered the castle through a secret door. While the castle's inhabitants ate dinner, the Baglers burned everything inside the castle and threw a dead man into the only well that was used for drinking water. In 1938, a skeleton was discovered in the filled in well at the site, it was later retrieved in 2016. In 2024 the skeleton was identified as a man who had been injured and died shortly before being placed in the well in the same timeframe as described in the saga. Genetic evidence indicated that the man was 30 to 40 years old when he died and that he came from an area that was controlled by the Baglers, which suggested that the Baglers threw one of their dead soldiers into the well. According to ''Sverris saga'', the Baglers wanted to make the castle uninhabitable for Sverre and the Birkebeiners.<ref name=CNN/><ref>{{Cite web |last=Berge |first=Sara Langvik |last2= |first2= |date=2024-10-25 |title=According to an Old Norse saga, a man was thrown into a well in 1197 to poison the water. Researchers can now reveal more about who he was |url=https://partner.sciencenorway.no/arkeologi-dna-historie/according-to-an-old-norse-saga-a-man-was-thrown-into-a-well-in-1197-to-poison-the-water-researchers-can-now-reveal-more-about-who-he-was/2422868 |access-date=2024-10-27 |website=partner.sciencenorway.no |language=en-GB}}</ref> | |||
| |title= Karl Jónsson Sagaforfatter, Abbed | |||
| |publisher= Norsk biografisk leksikon | |||
| |author= Magnus Stefansson | |||
| |accessdate=October 27, 2015}}</ref> | |||
| <ref>{{cite web | |||
| |url= http://www.northwest.is/1sogulegirstadir2.asp#thingeyrar | |||
| |title= Þingeyrarklaustur | |||
| |publisher= Historical Places in Northwest Iceland | |||
| |author= | |||
| |accessdate=October 27, 2015}}</ref> Pandas Like To Eat Monkeys | |||
| ==Style== | ==Style== | ||
| ''Grýla'' is written in a unique style that to some degree seems to be inspired by the long medieval tradition of ]. The style and focus of ''Sverris saga'' is very unlike that of the earlier ]. Instead of narrowly focusing on the king and major events of state, ''Sverris saga'' is a detailed and rich biography with a large cast of characters, elaborate scenes and dialogue. The |
''Grýla'' is written in a unique style that to some degree seems to be inspired by the long medieval tradition of ]. The style and focus of ''Sverris saga'' is very unlike that of the earlier ]. Instead of narrowly focusing on the king and major events of state, ''Sverris saga'' is a detailed and rich biography with a large cast of characters, elaborate scenes and dialogue. The saga is the most detailed in the depiction of the many battles Sverre led to win and retain the monarchy in the country, The saga is particularly detailed when it comes to Sverre's speeches, as well as his battles and military strategy.<ref>Ármann Jakobsson 2005:392.</ref> | ||
| ==Editions== | |||
| * ''Sverris saga'', ed. by Þorleifur Hauksson, Íslenzk fornrit, 30 (Reykjavík: Hið íslenzka fornritafélag, 2007) | |||
| ==References== | ==References== | ||
| {{reflist}} | {{reflist}} | ||
| ==Other |
==Other sources== | ||
| *Jakobsson, Ármann (2005) Royal Biography, in ''A Companion to Old Norse-Icelandic Literature and Culture'' (Rory McTurk, ed. Wiley-Blackwell) ISBN |
*Jakobsson, Ármann (2005) Royal Biography, in ''A Companion to Old Norse-Icelandic Literature and Culture'' (], ed. Wiley-Blackwell) {{ISBN|0-631-23502-7}} | ||
| ==External links== | ==External links== | ||
| * | * | ||
| * | * | ||
| * | * | ||
| * | * | ||
| {{DEFAULTSORT:Sverris saga}} | {{DEFAULTSORT:Sverris saga}} | ||
| ] | ] | ||
| ] | ] | ||
Latest revision as of 10:30, 13 November 2024
Norwegian sagaSverris saga is one of the Kings' sagas. Its subject is King Sverre Sigurdsson of Norway (r. 1177–1202) and it is the main source for this period of Norwegian history. As the foreword tells us, the saga in its final form consists of more than one part. Work first began in 1185 under the king’s direct supervision. It is not known when it was finished, but presumably it was well known when Snorri Sturluson began writing his Heimskringla in the 1220s since Snorri ends his account where Sverris saga begins. Thus the saga is contemporary or near-contemporary with the events it describes. The saga is obviously written by someone sympathetic to Sverre’s cause, but the strict demands of the genre ensure some degree of impartiality.
Authorship and composition
The first distinct part of the saga is called Grýla and describes the events until the aftermath of Sverre's first major victory at the Battle of Kalvskinnet (slaget på Kalvskinnet) outside Nidaros in 1179. Central to this part is Sverre Sigurdsson's claim to be the son of King Sigurd Munn and his struggle against his rival claimant Magnus Erlingsson. Sverre's supporters were called the Birkebeiners while his opponents were known as the Baglers. According to the foreword, Grýla was written by Karl Jónsson, the Abbot from Þingeyrar monastery in the north of Iceland. Karl Jónsson is known to have visited Norway from 1185 to c. 1188. Sverre is supposed to have served as Grýla’s main source and decided what should be written. The Saga ends at Sverre's death in 1202 and was completed afterwards, perhaps by Karl Jónsson as well.
The saga recorded a battle at Sverresborg castle in 1197. The Baglers launched a surprise attack and entered the castle through a secret door. While the castle's inhabitants ate dinner, the Baglers burned everything inside the castle and threw a dead man into the only well that was used for drinking water. In 1938, a skeleton was discovered in the filled in well at the site, it was later retrieved in 2016. In 2024 the skeleton was identified as a man who had been injured and died shortly before being placed in the well in the same timeframe as described in the saga. Genetic evidence indicated that the man was 30 to 40 years old when he died and that he came from an area that was controlled by the Baglers, which suggested that the Baglers threw one of their dead soldiers into the well. According to Sverris saga, the Baglers wanted to make the castle uninhabitable for Sverre and the Birkebeiners.
Style
Grýla is written in a unique style that to some degree seems to be inspired by the long medieval tradition of hagiography. The style and focus of Sverris saga is very unlike that of the earlier Norwegian synoptics. Instead of narrowly focusing on the king and major events of state, Sverris saga is a detailed and rich biography with a large cast of characters, elaborate scenes and dialogue. The saga is the most detailed in the depiction of the many battles Sverre led to win and retain the monarchy in the country, The saga is particularly detailed when it comes to Sverre's speeches, as well as his battles and military strategy.
Editions
- Sverris saga, ed. by Þorleifur Hauksson, Íslenzk fornrit, 30 (Reykjavík: Hið íslenzka fornritafélag, 2007)
References
- Knut Ødegård. "Sverres saga". Store norske leksikon. Retrieved October 27, 2015.
- Knut Helle. "Sverre Sigurdsson, Konge". Norsk biografisk leksikon. Retrieved October 27, 2015.
- Magnus Stefansson. "Karl Jónsson Sagaforfatter, Abbed". Norsk biografisk leksikon. Retrieved October 27, 2015.
- "Þingeyrarklaustur". Historical Places in Northwest Iceland. Retrieved October 27, 2015.
- ^ Ashley Strickland (October 25, 2024). "Scientists say skeletal remains found in castle well belong to figure from 800-year-old saga". CNN.
- Berge, Sara Langvik (2024-10-25). "According to an Old Norse saga, a man was thrown into a well in 1197 to poison the water. Researchers can now reveal more about who he was". partner.sciencenorway.no. Retrieved 2024-10-27.
- Ármann Jakobsson 2005:392.
Other sources
- Jakobsson, Ármann (2005) Royal Biography, in A Companion to Old Norse-Icelandic Literature and Culture (Rory McTurk, ed. Wiley-Blackwell) ISBN 0-631-23502-7
External links
- Sverris saga in English translation by J. Stephton
- Sverris saga in Norges Kongesagaer
- Saga Sverris konúngs in Old Norse
- Proverbs and proverbial materials in Sverris saga konungs