Þangbrandr
Encyclopedia
Þangbrandr was a missionary
sent to Iceland
by king of Norway
Óláfr Tryggvason to convert the inhabitants to Christianity
. Snorri Sturluson
described him as follows:
or of Bremen. But he is also said to be Flemish. He may have been a clerk to the bishop of Bremen. However that may be, his name seems to be of German origin, and may come from Old High German
*Dankbrant.
. Þangbrandr came with him. In England, he was offered a shield with a crucified Christ drawn on it. When they came back in Saxony, Óláfr was there. He saw Þangbrandr's shield, which pleased him much. The clerk gave it to him and the king promised to help and protect him in case he would need it.
After fighting over a woman with one of the Emperor's men and killing him, Þangbrandr was forced to flee from the land. He joined Óláfr in England, who took him into his service. When Óláfr came back in Norway, Þangbrandr was put in charge of baptizing the people in Hordaland
. But he soon fell short of money and began to rob those who were still pagans.
Þangbrandr's mission began in 997. He first succeeded in converting Sídu-Hallr Þorsteinsson. He travelled around the country and several other prominent Icelanders agreed to be baptized or at least to receive prima signatio. But he had more opponents than followers. The difficulties he came up against are especially described in Brennu-Njáls saga in a "lively, although probably exaggerated" manner. He was challenged to a duel by Þorkell whom he defeated, although he carried a crucifix rather than a shield. Some of his enemies paid a sorcerer to get rid of him. The sorcerer made a sacrifice and the ground opened up under Þangbrandr. His horse was swallowed up but he escaped. The priest killed the skald
Vetrliði Sumarliðason
who had composed defamatory verses (níð
) about him. He also killed another skald, Þorvaldr veili
, who had gathered a troop to slay him. Steinunn, Hofgarða-Refr's mother, preached the old faith to him, trying to demonstrate the superiority of Thor
over Christ ("Hast thou heard," she said, "how Thor challenged Christ to single combat, and how he did not dare to fight with Thor?"). Þangbrandr then caused the death of a berserker
. He was eventually outlawed because of the men he had killed.
After two years in Iceland, he went back to Norway and explained he had failed:
When Óláfr learned that, he got angry and threatened to hurt or kill all the pagan Icelanders who were in town at that time. But Gizurr the White Teitsson and Hjalti Skeggjason, who had been converted by Þangbrandr, talked to him out of it. They explained that Þangbrandr had failed because he had proceeded with violence and murders and they committed themselves to preaching Christian faith in Iceland. The conversion of Iceland was eventually decided at the next Alþing (in 999 or 1000—see Christianisation of Iceland).
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
sent to Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
by king of Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
Óláfr Tryggvason to convert the inhabitants to Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
. Snorri Sturluson
Snorri Sturluson
Snorri Sturluson was an Icelandic historian, poet, and politician. He was twice elected lawspeaker at the Icelandic parliament, the Althing...
described him as follows:
|
Origins
Þangbrandr's origins are uncertain. According to some sources, he was the son of an otherwise unknown Vilbaldus, count of SaxonyDuchy of Saxony
The medieval Duchy of Saxony was a late Early Middle Ages "Carolingian stem duchy" covering the greater part of Northern Germany. It covered the area of the modern German states of Bremen, Hamburg, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, and Saxony-Anhalt and most of Schleswig-Holstein...
or of Bremen. But he is also said to be Flemish. He may have been a clerk to the bishop of Bremen. However that may be, his name seems to be of German origin, and may come from Old High German
Old High German
The term Old High German refers to the earliest stage of the German language and it conventionally covers the period from around 500 to 1050. Coherent written texts do not appear until the second half of the 8th century, and some treat the period before 750 as 'prehistoric' and date the start of...
*Dankbrant.
Encounter with Óláfr
The bishop of Bremen was invited in England by the bishop of CanterburyCanterbury
Canterbury is a historic English cathedral city, which lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a district of Kent in South East England. It lies on the River Stour....
. Þangbrandr came with him. In England, he was offered a shield with a crucified Christ drawn on it. When they came back in Saxony, Óláfr was there. He saw Þangbrandr's shield, which pleased him much. The clerk gave it to him and the king promised to help and protect him in case he would need it.
Mission in Norway
After fighting over a woman with one of the Emperor's men and killing him, Þangbrandr was forced to flee from the land. He joined Óláfr in England, who took him into his service. When Óláfr came back in Norway, Þangbrandr was put in charge of baptizing the people in Hordaland
Hordaland
is a county in Norway, bordering Sogn og Fjordane, Buskerud, Telemark and Rogaland. Hordaland is the third largest county after Akershus and Oslo by population. The county administration is located in Bergen...
. But he soon fell short of money and began to rob those who were still pagans.
Mission in Iceland
As a penance, Óláfr sent him to Iceland, where Þorvaldr Kodránsson and Stefnir Þórgilsson's missions had failed.Þangbrandr's mission began in 997. He first succeeded in converting Sídu-Hallr Þorsteinsson. He travelled around the country and several other prominent Icelanders agreed to be baptized or at least to receive prima signatio. But he had more opponents than followers. The difficulties he came up against are especially described in Brennu-Njáls saga in a "lively, although probably exaggerated" manner. He was challenged to a duel by Þorkell whom he defeated, although he carried a crucifix rather than a shield. Some of his enemies paid a sorcerer to get rid of him. The sorcerer made a sacrifice and the ground opened up under Þangbrandr. His horse was swallowed up but he escaped. The priest killed the skald
Skald
The skald was a member of a group of poets, whose courtly poetry is associated with the courts of Scandinavian and Icelandic leaders during the Viking Age, who composed and performed renditions of aspects of what we now characterise as Old Norse poetry .The most prevalent metre of skaldic poetry is...
Vetrliði Sumarliðason
Vetrliði Sumarliðason
Vetrliði Sumarliðason is a 10th century Icelandic skald.He was the great-grandson of Ketill hængr , one of the settlers of Iceland. He lived in Fljótshlíð, in the south of the island....
who had composed defamatory verses (níð
Níð
In historical Germanic society, nīþ ; was a term for a social stigma implying the loss of honour and the status of a villain. A person affected with the stigma is a nīðing ....
) about him. He also killed another skald, Þorvaldr veili
Þorvaldr veili
Þorvaldr veili was an Icelandic skald who lived in the last part of the 10th century.The Brennu-Njáls saga relates the circumstances of his death. Þorvaldr was pagan and opposed the conversion to Christianity...
, who had gathered a troop to slay him. Steinunn, Hofgarða-Refr's mother, preached the old faith to him, trying to demonstrate the superiority of Thor
Thor
In Norse mythology, Thor is a hammer-wielding god associated with thunder, lightning, storms, oak trees, strength, the protection of mankind, and also hallowing, healing, and fertility...
over Christ ("Hast thou heard," she said, "how Thor challenged Christ to single combat, and how he did not dare to fight with Thor?"). Þangbrandr then caused the death of a berserker
Berserker
Berserkers were Norse warriors who are reported in the Old Norse literature to have fought in a nearly uncontrollable, trance-like fury, a characteristic which later gave rise to the English word berserk. Berserkers are attested in numerous Old Norse sources...
. He was eventually outlawed because of the men he had killed.
After two years in Iceland, he went back to Norway and explained he had failed:
|
When Óláfr learned that, he got angry and threatened to hurt or kill all the pagan Icelanders who were in town at that time. But Gizurr the White Teitsson and Hjalti Skeggjason, who had been converted by Þangbrandr, talked to him out of it. They explained that Þangbrandr had failed because he had proceeded with violence and murders and they committed themselves to preaching Christian faith in Iceland. The conversion of Iceland was eventually decided at the next Alþing (in 999 or 1000—see Christianisation of Iceland).
Primary sources
- Brennu-Njáls saga
- Ari ÞorgilssonAri ÞorgilssonAri Þorgilsson was Iceland's most prominent medieval chronicler. He is the author of Íslendingabók, which details the histories of the various families who settled Iceland...
's ÍslendingabókÍslendingabókÍslendingabók, Libellus Islandorum or The Book of Icelanders is an historical work dealing with early Icelandic history. The author was an Icelandic priest, Ari Þorgilsson, working in the early 12th century. The work originally existed in two different versions but only the younger one has come... - Kristni saga
- LandnámabókLandnámabókLandnámabók , often shortened to Landnáma, is a medieval Icelandic written work describing in considerable detail the settlement of Iceland by the Norse in the 9th and 10th centuries AD.-Landnáma:...
- Laxdœla sagaLaxdœla sagaLaxdæla saga ; also Laxdœla saga, Laxdoela saga, Laxdaela saga, or The Saga of the People of Laxárdalr) is one of the Icelanders' sagas. Written in the 13th century, it tells of people in the Breiðafjörður area of Iceland from the late 9th century to the early 11th century...
- Óláfs saga Tryggvasonar en mestaÓláfs saga Tryggvasonar en mestaÓláfs saga Tryggvasonar en mesta or The Greatest Saga of Óláfr Tryggvasonis one of the kings' sagas, an extended biography of King Óláfr Tryggvason....
- Laing, SamuelSamuel Laing (travel writer)Samuel Laing from Papdale in Orkney was a Scottish travel writer. He travelled in Scandinavia and northern Germany and published descriptions of these countries....
(trans.). Anderson, Rasmus B.Rasmus B. AndersonRasmus Bjørn Anderson was an American author, professor, and diplomat. He brought to popular attention the idea that Viking explorers discovered the New World and was the originator of Leif Erikson Day.-Biography:...
(revision and notes). Snorre Sturlason: The Heimskringla: A History of the Norse Kings. London: Norrœna SocietyNorrœna SocietyThe Norrœna Society was the imprint of a private publishing venture that between 1905 and 1911 produced multi-volume sets of reprints of classic 19th-century editions, mostly translations, of Old Norse literary and historical works, Northern European folklore, and medieval literature.-Historical...
, 1906. - McDougall, David and Ian (trans. and notes). Foote, PeterPeter FootePeter Godfrey Foote was a scholar of Old Norse literature and Scandinavian studies. He inaugurated the Department of Scandinavian Studies at University College London, and headed it for 20 years.-Early life and education:...
(intro.). 1998. Theodoricus monachus: Historia de antiquitate regum Norwagiensium. An Account of the Ancient History of the Norwegian Kings. London: Viking Society for Northern Research. ISBN 0-903521-40-7.
Secondary sources
- Byock, Jesse L. Viking Age Iceland. London: Penguin books, 2001. ISBN 0-14-029115-6.