Battle of Víðines
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Víðines was a conflict that took place between secular and clerical forces in early 13th century Iceland
.
The Catholic
bishop Guðmundur Arason
had defended the exclusive judicial powers of the Church over its own members, the clergy, against the secular powers of the Icelandic goði chieftains. In 1208, Kolbeinn Tumason
and Arnór Tumason of the Ásbirningar clan and Sigurður Ormsson of the Svínfellingar clan advanced on the see
of Guðmundur Arason and his men. They wanted the bishop to give up several men in his assembly whom they claimed they had rightful business with. The bishop stood by his claim that the clergy should retain judicial power in its own affairs, and a conflict ensued at Víðines, near Hólar
, the seat of the bishop. Kolbeinn Tumason died in the battle, his head bashed in with a large rock, and the clan troops dissipated. Before he died, he composed the poem "Heyr, himna smiður" (Hear, heavenly creator"), which is a classic Icelandic hymn to this very day.
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...
.
The Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
bishop Guðmundur Arason
Guðmundur Arason
Guðmundur Arason was an influential 12th and 13th century Icelandic saintly bishop who took part in increasing the powers of the Catholic Church in medieval Iceland. His story is recorded in several manuscripts, most notably Prestssaga Guðmundar góða...
had defended the exclusive judicial powers of the Church over its own members, the clergy, against the secular powers of the Icelandic goði chieftains. In 1208, Kolbeinn Tumason
Kolbeinn Tumason
Kolbeinn Tumason was a member of the Ásbirningar family clan, and was one of the most powerful chieftains in Iceland around the turn of the 12th century. His power was probably at its height around 1200 AD. Kolbeinn used his influence to ensure that men in his favour received positions of power...
and Arnór Tumason of the Ásbirningar clan and Sigurður Ormsson of the Svínfellingar clan advanced on the see
Episcopal See
An episcopal see is, in the original sense, the official seat of a bishop. This seat, which is also referred to as the bishop's cathedra, is placed in the bishop's principal church, which is therefore called the bishop's cathedral...
of Guðmundur Arason and his men. They wanted the bishop to give up several men in his assembly whom they claimed they had rightful business with. The bishop stood by his claim that the clergy should retain judicial power in its own affairs, and a conflict ensued at Víðines, near Hólar
Hólar
Hólar is a small community located in the Skagafjörður district and situated in northern Iceland.-Location:Hólar is located in the Hjaltadalur valley, some from the national capital at Reykjavík. Hólar has a population of around 100...
, the seat of the bishop. Kolbeinn Tumason died in the battle, his head bashed in with a large rock, and the clan troops dissipated. Before he died, he composed the poem "Heyr, himna smiður" (Hear, heavenly creator"), which is a classic Icelandic hymn to this very day.