General editors anthony faulkes and richard perkins. These sagas vary considerably in their length and degree of detail. The chronicle of the kings of norway by the icelander snorre sturlason, heimskringla. The interesting part for genealogists is chapter 14 that summarize the view of the historians about the timeperiod 8 to 950 in norway. Previous part 4 next part 6 svein ordered his men to go to their ships, for there comes the long serpent. A book about the arcehologigal site at borre, vestfold norway.
Dawn of swedish history heimskringla and ynglingatal snorre sturleson, the great historian and poet of iceland, of the earlier half of the thirteenth century, is considered to be the author of the history of the kings of norway which, after the first words of the first chapter, has been called heimskringla. Providing an overview of the past two decades of scholarship, it discusses the vexed relationship between verse and prose and. The dispute over the woodland merges into an ongoing conflict. In this situation the emerging ideas of nation states fascinated norwegian intellectuals. This fact gives to swedish history its first reliable date. Approximately from his accession to the throne, started the civil wars period of. The petty kingdoms of norway were the entities from which the later kingdom of norway was founded. A collection of scholarly works about individual liberty and free markets. John king of denmark, norway, and sweden britannica. History of the kings of norway reprint by snorri sturluson, hollander, lee m. This evening becca told me about heimskringla or the chronicle of the kings of norway by the medieval historian snorri sturluson ca. Halfdan was a year old when his father was killed, and his mother asa set off immediately with him.
Earl eirik says, many other great and stately vessels have they. Family tree of the medieval kings of norway in theory almost all norwegian kings until 19 descended in an unbroken paternal line from harald hairfair who united norway about 885. It sets heimskringla of snorre sturlasson in a new perspective. But some begged for peace, and obtained it, on condition of joining the king.
Heimskringla ebook by snorri sturluson rakuten kobo. I cant wait to start reading itall the stories are just waiting to be read by me read more. Heimskringla, or the lives of the norse kings by snorri sturlason. Heimskringla, or the chronicle of the kings of norway.
The norwegian monarchy dates back more than one thousand years. Beginning with the dim prehistory of the mythical gods and their descendants, heimskringla recounts the history of the kings of norway through the reign of olaf haraldsson, who became norway s patron saint. However, the lack of written history prior to 100 bc does not diminish the provocative past of the scandinavians. Heimskringla, which means circle of the world, is a history of the norwegian kings, beginning in legendary times and ending in 1177 during the reign of magnus erlingson.
Snorri sturlusons fame as a historianhis main work is the 16 sagas included in heimskringla c. This family tree shows the kings of norway marked with a crown going back to king carl johan, king of norway and sweden from 1818. Read heimskringla, or the chronicle of the kings of norway by snorri sturluson available from rakuten kobo. The heimskringla of snorri sturlason is a collection of sagas concerning the various rulers of norway, from about a. The heimskringla presents the german mythical god, odin, as an actual historical figure and the first norse king.
This is a pre1923 historical reproduction that was curated f. Published 1964 by published for the americanscandinavian foundation by the university of texas press in austin. Heimskringla is a bright and dramatic, but at the same time extremely true story about the fate of hundreds of people who really existed in ancient times, but the dead for many centuries, the richest gallery of human images painted with brilliant simplicity. Heimskringla is an online collection of old norse source material, primarily eddas, icelandic sagas, scaldic poetry, and some background material. Heimskringla the chronicle of the kings of norway by snorri sturlson part 4 out of 18. A very big book, very nice qualityits everything i have expected. This complete english translation is by samuel laing. Index of heimskringla the chronicle of the kings of norway.
Featured texts all books all texts latest this just in smithsonian libraries fedlink us genealogy lincoln collection. History of the kings of norway by snorri sturluson for free with a. Sturluson traced the history of sixteen famous nordic kings from this ancient figure through halvdan the black ca. The work translated in this volume is a late twelfthcentury latin account of the kings of norway from. Heimskringla history of the kings of norway by snorri. What are the best books on early norwegian history. While scholars and historians continue to debate the historical accuracy of. A history of the norse kings norroena society, london, 1907, except for ynglinga saga, which was not included in that edition and comes from laings original edition london, 1844. It covers also history of other countries denmark, sweden and finland, but its damn interesting how their stories intertwine and its really difficult to see norways history without denmark and sweden. They made their vow by joining hands and vowed to raise a church in. It tells the tale of norse gods and their descendants, the norse kings then focuses on the norwegian offspring up until the xiith century. The icelander snorri sturlusons heimskringla from ca.
Once found in most homes and schools and still regarded as a national treasure. Before the unification of norway in 872 and during the period of fragmentation after king harald fairhairs death norway was divided in several small kingdoms. Once found in most homes and schools and still regarded as a national treasure, heimskringla influenced. Beginning with the dim prehistory of the mythical gods and their descendants, heimskringla recounts the history of the kings of norway through the reign of olaf haraldsson, who became norways patron saint. The danish king hugleik, a contemporary of king ottar, died in 515 ad, which renders with a certainty ottars reign as falling in the first part of the 6th century. Heimskringla or the chronicle of the kings of norway by snorri sturluson c. A reconstruction of the history of these years has been attempted by many scholars. Heimskringla or the chronicle of the kings of norway by snorri. Being snorris own tales of the kings of norway, the book is composed of many short passages detailing the histories of various kings.
It was written in old norse in iceland by the poet and historian snorri sturluson 1178791241 c. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. A th century history of the kings of norway, from prehistoric times to 1177. King haralds saga by snorri sturlason, translated by magnus magnusson and paulsson herman. Great classic by icelandic poetchieftain chronicles the reigns of 16 high kings descended from the warriorwizard god o. Harald fairhair, regarded as the first norwegian king, united the petty kingships of norway into a single realm in about 885. Once found in most homes and schools and still regarded as a national treasure, heimskringla influenced the thinking and literary style of scandinavia over several centuries. Snorri sturluson heimskringla volume iii the printing of this book is made. Plus, i think really good view on character of those nations, seen by the outsider. In addition to heimskringla snorri has been tributed as the author of. Previous part 3 next part 5 land, and peace was well preserved in the country among the bondes. Please click on the largest square in the upper right corner to view the tree in full screen mode.
Heimskringla covers the history of norway from its legendary beginnings up to the year 1177, and is structured as a sequence of sixteen sagas, mostly biographical in their focus on a single ruler or two or three contemporary rulers. On the first element, heimskringla is is of enormous importance in both mythological and historical studies relating to viking and medieval scandinavia. Read heimskringla or, the lives of the norse kings by snorri sturluson available from rakuten kobo. Dawn of swedish history heimskringla and ynglingatal. Norway had been an independent state during the middle ages, and one assumes that a certain sense of national identity was even older. Eric bloodaxe, whose practical reign is counted to have begun about a. Heimskringla or the chronicle of the from kings of norway by snorri sturlson c. But norway was in the 12th century plagued by civil wars and several pretenders to the throne claimed to be sons to former kings in order to gain popular support. Being essentially a transcription of minstrelsy related to these kings, the text is narrative, and often has bits of poetry thrown in. He was more successful in fostering the commercial development of danish burghers to challenge the power of the nobility. What is a good book on norways culture and history. Snorris account begins with a mythological account of the gods euhemerized as in edda in the ynglinga saga, and then goes through the history of the kings of norway starting with harald. The norwegian economy key facts general norway forms the western and northern part of the scandinavian peninsula and has common land borders with sweden, finland and russia.
This book is an examination of some of the principal issues arising from the study of the kings sagas, the main narrative sources for norwegian history before c. From the time of harald fairhair until the present day, norway has had more than 60 named sovereigns. Written around 1220, this is an account of the early kings of norway. Named after the homonymous geographical region, haralds realm was later to be known as the kingdom of norway. But some begged for peace, and obtained it, on condition of joining the king and. Kings of norway until king olav iv, who died in 87, commonly claimed.
Chapter x thorolf in finmark in the winter thorolf took his way up to the fells with a large force of not less than ninety men, whereas before it had been the wont of the kings. Heimskringla consists of some 6400 titles in the old norse language or translated into the modern scandinavian languages. Two princes norway fortinbras becomes angry gathers a group of thugs and criminals behind his uncles back threatens to invade denmark is told off by his uncle goes against poland instead denmark hamlet becomes angry decides to kill his uncle then does nothing for a very long time except get a lot of innocent people killed ghost old hamlet, king of denmark. The project gutenberg ebook of heimskringla, by snorri sturlason this ebook is. Rikssamlingen is the process by which norway merged from several petty kingdoms into a single kingdom, predecessor to modern kingdom of norway. Sigurd ii 13 1155 was the son of harald gille, king of norway and his mistress tora guttormsdottir. Heimskringla the chronicle of the kings of norway by snorri sturlson part 5 out of 18. The footnotes, editing and translation were all excellently done. John, danish hans, born june 5, 1455, denmarkdied feb. Heimskringla, the chronicle of the kings of norway. Norways area is 323,787 square kilometers approximately 125,100 square miles, excluding the svalbard island group in the arctic ocean and other overseas territories. The stories of the kings of norway, called the round world by snorri sturleson.
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