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Einar Snorrason Ölduhryggjarskáld

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Einar Snorrason
Born
Miklaholtshrepur, Iceland
Died1538
Other namesEinar Ölduhryggjarskáld
Occupation(s)Priest, poet

Einar Snorrason (died 1538), called Einar Ölduhryggjarskáld (lit.'Einar the Moraine Poet'), was a 16th-century Icelandic priest and poet whose family played a significant role in the Icelandic Reformation.

Although definitive records do not exist, Einar is believed to be the son of a farmer, Snorra Sveinssonar, and born in Miklaholtshrepur in northwest Iceland. It is recorded that in 1497 Einar was ordained as a priest and settled at Stað á Ölduhrygg. He became a well known enough poet for Bishop Jón Arason to refer to him the greatest living poet in the west of Iceland, however none of his work remains.[1][a]

Einar's companion was Guðrún Oddsdóttir, the niece of Sveinn spaki Pétursson [is], the Bishop of Skálholt. Their sons were Pétur [is] and Brandur Einarsson, known as Gleraugna-Pétur and Moldar-Brandur respectively; both became sheriffs. He also had at least two children with Ingiríði Jónsdóttur, a sister of Bishop Stefán Jónsson. Their son, Marteinn Einarsson, became the second Lutheran bishop of Iceland, while their daughter, Guðrún, married wealthy landowner Daði Guðmundsson.[3]

Einar's sons and son-in-law all clashed with Catholic Bishop Jón Arason during the Icelandic Reformation, culminating with Daði capturing Jón and his sons at the Battle of Sauðafell.

Notes

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  1. ^ Icelandic: Öld segir afbragð skálda // Einar prest fyrir vestan.
    People say the greatest of poets // is priest Einar from the west.
    lit.'People call the Reverend Einar to the west the paragon of poets.'[2]

References

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  1. ^ Stefán Einarsson (2019). A History of Icelandic Literature. Baltimore, Maryland: Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 268. ISBN 978-1-4214-3546-6. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  2. ^ Ármann Jakobsson (2014). "The Homer of the North, or Who was Sigurður the Blind?". European Journal of Scandinavian Studies. 44 (1): 9–10, 10fn. doi:10.1515/ejss-2014-0002. ISSN 2191-9399.
  3. ^ Páll Eggert Ólason (1948). Islenzkar æviskrár frá landnámstímum til ársloka 1940 [Icelandic Biographies from Colonial Times to the End of 1940] (in Icelandic). Reykjavík, Iceland: Íslenzka Bókmenntafélags. Retrieved 1 May 2020.