All Topics  
Orkneyinga saga

 

 
   Email Print
   Bookmark   Link
 

 

Orkneyinga saga
 
 
  Topics Orkneyinga saga Topic Home

The Orkneyinga saga (also called the History of the Earls of Orkney) is a unique historical narrative of the history of the Orkney Islands
Orkney Islands

Orkney is an archipelago in northern Scotland, situated 10 miles north of the coast of Caithness. Orkney comprises over 70 islands; around 20 are inhabited....
, Scotland
Scotland

conventional_long_name = ScotlandAlba|common_name= Scotland|image_flag = Flag of Scotland.svg|flag_width = 130px...
, from their capture by the Norwegian
Norway

Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a constitutional monarchy in Northern Europe that occupies the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula....
 king in the ninth century onwards until about 1200.

The saga
Norse saga

The sagas , are stories about ancient Scandinavia and Germanic tribes history, about early Viking voyages, about migration to Iceland, and of feuds between Icelandic families....
 was written around 1200 (three centuries after the events they record) by an unknown Iceland
Iceland

Iceland, officially the Republic of Iceland , is an island country located in the North Atlantic Ocean between mainland Europe and Greenland....
ic author and, as was generally the case with Icelandic language
Icelandic language

Icelandic is a North Germanic languages, the language of Iceland. Its closest relative is Faroese language and Norwegian dialects such as Telemark dialect and Sognam?l....
 writing of this period, the saga is as much a fictional story as a historic document.






Discussion
Ask a question about 'Orkneyinga saga'
Start a new discussion about 'Orkneyinga saga'
Answer questions from other users
Full Discussion Forum



Encyclopedia


The Orkneyinga saga (also called the History of the Earls of Orkney) is a unique historical narrative of the history of the Orkney Islands
Orkney Islands

Orkney is an archipelago in northern Scotland, situated 10 miles north of the coast of Caithness. Orkney comprises over 70 islands; around 20 are inhabited....
, Scotland
Scotland

conventional_long_name = ScotlandAlba|common_name= Scotland|image_flag = Flag of Scotland.svg|flag_width = 130px...
, from their capture by the Norwegian
Norway

Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a constitutional monarchy in Northern Europe that occupies the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula....
 king in the ninth century onwards until about 1200.

The saga
Norse saga

The sagas , are stories about ancient Scandinavia and Germanic tribes history, about early Viking voyages, about migration to Iceland, and of feuds between Icelandic families....
 was written around 1200 (three centuries after the events they record) by an unknown Iceland
Iceland

Iceland, officially the Republic of Iceland , is an island country located in the North Atlantic Ocean between mainland Europe and Greenland....
ic author and, as was generally the case with Icelandic language
Icelandic language

Icelandic is a North Germanic languages, the language of Iceland. Its closest relative is Faroese language and Norwegian dialects such as Telemark dialect and Sognam?l....
 writing of this period, the saga is as much a fictional story as a historic document. It is thought to have been compiled from a number of sources, combining oral legend
Legend

A legend is a narrative of human actions that are perceived both by teller and listeners to take place within human history and to possess certain qualities that give the tale verisimilitude ....
s with historical facts. The saga begins with the semi-mythical capture of the islands by the King of Norway before moving on to more factual matters. The first three chapters covers text that provide the supposed origins for the Swedish
Swedish language

Swedish is a North Germanic languages language, spoken by around 10 million people, predominantly in Sweden and parts of Finland, especially along the coast and on the ?land islands....
 and Norwegian
Norwegian language

Norwegian is a North Germanic languages language spoken primarily in Norway, where it is an official language. It is also spoken as a second language among Norwegian-Americans in the United States of America, especially in the central northern states....
 (January/February) torsmånad after Thorri and (February/March) göjemånad after Gói. For this tradition see Nór
Nor

selfref|For the Wikipedia policy, see...
.

Throughout the story, a number of characters who are both historical and legendary are introduced: Sigurd the Powerful, Hakon Paulsson, Sigurd the Stout, Rognvald, Earl of Moer, St Earl Magnus the Martyr, Rognvald Kali Kolsson and Harald Maddadarson. One or two of these characters are still part of Orcadian folklore today. There are examples of obviously fictional elements - such as Earl Sigurd's raven banner
Raven banner

File:RavenBanner.svgThe raven banner was a flag, possibly totemic in nature, flown by various viking chieftains and other Scandinavian rulers during the ninth, tenth and eleventh centuries Common Era....
, the poisoned shirt of Earl Harald, and elements of the Hrolf Ganger saga.

External links and references

  • English translation:
    • Orkneyinga Saga: The History of the Earls of Orkney. Trans. Pálsson, Hermann
      Hermann Pálsson

      Hermann P?lsson was an Iceland language scholar.He translated a number of Old Icelandic works of literature into English. Hermann was particularly noted for his penchant to link Old Icelandic works with mediaeval European learning, especially works in Latin language....
       and Edwards, Paul (1978). London: Hogarth Press. ISBN 0-7012-0431-1. Republished 1981, Harmondsworth: Penguin. ISBN 0-14-044383-5.
    • Orkneyinga Saga. Trans A.B. Taylor (1937). London.
    • The Orkneyingers Saga (Icelandic Sagas, and other historical documents relating to the settlements and descents of the Northmen on the British Isles, Volume III). Translated by George Dasent (1894). London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office. Reprinted 1964 by Kraus Reprint. Text available at and .
    • "Fundinn Noregr" ('Discovery of Norway'), opening portion of The Orkneyingers Saga. Trans. Chappell, Gavin (2004) .
  • Original text: