24 - Samtíðarsögur

Summary

The focus of this chapter is the samtíðarsögur (contemporary sagas) included in the compendium Sturlunga saga, compiled around the beginning of the fourteenth century, which contains narratives dealing largely with the history of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries in Iceland. The chapter opens by placing Sturlunga saga in the context of other Old Norse-Icelandic historical writing, considering why the distant past of the saga age attracted more attention from Icelandic writers than the period of relatively recent history covered by Sturlunga saga. It outlines what is known of Þórðr Narfason, often identified as the compiler of Sturlunga saga, and describes his interaction with Sturla Þórðarson in 1271−2, considering the possible role of Sturla in the compilation and offering a brief discussion of Sturlu þáttr. The content, structure and themes of the narratives within the compilation are then discussed in turn. The chapter closes with a brief outline of the compilation’s manuscript history, modern editions and critical reception.