Snorri Sturluson was an Icelandic historian, poet, and politician.
26 Facts About Snorri Sturluson
2.
Snorri Sturluson was elected twice as lawspeaker of the Icelandic parliament, the Althing.
3.
Snorri Sturluson is commonly thought to have authored or compiled portions of the Prose Edda, which is a major source for what is today known as Norse mythology, and Heimskringla, a history of the Norse kings that begins with legendary material in Ynglinga saga and moves through to early medieval Scandinavian history.
4.
For stylistic and methodological reasons, Snorri is often taken to be the author of Egil's saga.
5.
Snorri Sturluson was assassinated in 1241 by men claiming to be agents of the King of Norway.
6.
Snorri Sturluson was born in Hvammur i Dolum as a member of the wealthy and powerful Sturlungar clan of the Icelandic Commonwealth, in AD 1179.
7.
Snorri Sturluson was raised from the age of three by Jon Loftsson, a relative of the Norwegian royal family, in Oddi, Iceland.
8.
Snorri Sturluson's father died in 1183 and his mother soon squandered Snorri's share of the inheritance.
9.
From her father, Snorri Sturluson inherited an estate at Borg, as well as a chieftainship, and soon acquired more property and additional chieftainships.
10.
Snorri Sturluson made significant improvements to the estate, including an outdoor bath fed by hot springs.
11.
Snorri Sturluson quickly became known as a poet, but was a lawyer.
12.
Snorri Sturluson spent the winter as house-guest of the jarl.
13.
The Norwegian regents cultivated Snorri Sturluson, made him a skutilsvein, a senior title roughly equivalent to knight, and received an oath of loyalty.
14.
The king hoped to extend his realm to Iceland, which he could do by a resolution of the Althing, of which Snorri Sturluson had been a key member.
15.
In 1220, Snorri Sturluson returned to Iceland and by 1222 was back as lawspeaker of the Althing, which he held this time until 1232.
16.
Snorri Sturluson's strategy seems to have been to consolidate power over them, at which point he could offer Iceland to the king.
17.
Snorri Sturluson, perhaps, perceived that only resolute, saga-like actions could achieve his objective, but if so he proved unwilling or incapable of carrying them out.
18.
When Snorri Sturluson arrived in Norway for the second time, it was clear to the king that he was no longer a reliable agent.
19.
Snorri Sturluson stayed with the jarl, or chieftain, and his son and the jarl made him a jarl hoping to command his allegiance.
20.
Snorri Sturluson was explicitly ordered to remain in Norway on the basis of his honorary rank.
21.
Meanwhile, Snorri Sturluson resumed his chieftainship and made a bid to crush Gissur by prosecuting him in court for the deaths of Sigvat and Sturla.
22.
Shortly after, Snorri Sturluson received a letter in cipher runes warning him of the plot, but he could not understand them.
23.
Snorri Sturluson was assassinated in his house at Reykholt in autumn of 1241.
24.
Snorri Sturluson's writings provide information and indications concerning persons and events influencing the peoples inhabiting North Europe during periods for which relevant information is scarce: thus, for example, he can be used to illuminate relations between England and Scandinavia during the 10th and 11th centuries.
25.
Snorri Sturluson is considered a figure of enduring importance in this regard, Halvdan Koht describing his work as "surpassing anything else that the Middle Ages have left us of historical literature".
26.
Snorri Sturluson provided an early account of the discovery of Vinland.