Snorri Sturluson

Snorri Sturluson (1179-1241), Icelandic historian, poet, and political figure, who ranks among the foremost chroniclers of the Scandinavian Middle Ages. Snorri was born at Hvammur in western Iceland, the son of a powerful chieftain, but grew up at Oddi, a prominent seat of culture in the south. He became learned in law and literature, made a profitable marriage, and settled into a comfortable life on his estate at Reykholt. Active in politics, he was three times elected law-speaker of the Icelandic commonwealth, the highest office in the land, in effect the presidency of the legislature, known as the Althing. Caught up in the violent power struggles and political intrigues of his time, not only in Iceland but also in Norway, he incurred the wrath of the Norwegian king, Håkon IV (the Old), who was trying to exploit the divisive Icelandic politics to win control of the country. Snorri was killed at Håkon's instigation.

Snorri's fame rests primarily on two works: Heimskringla (1220?-1235) and Edda (1222?). The former, a history of the kings of Norway from legendary times until 1177, is distinguished for its narrative art as well as its entertainment value; as history, it is also considered accurate. The latter, usually called the Younger Edda or Prose Edda, is a handbook for poets, concerned with the rationale of poetic diction, especially the circumlocutions (kennings) then widely used; it is also a repository of Scandinavian mythological lore. In addition, Snorri is almost certainly the author of Egil's Saga (1226?), which describes the life of the warrior-poet Egill Skallagrímsson, from whom he was descended.