Einarr Hafliðason
Encyclopedia
Einar Hafliðason 15 September 1307–22 September 1393 was an Icelandic priest and author. He became a priest in 1334 with the benefice of Höskuldsstaðir á Skagaströnd and in 1343 the Archbishop of Nidaros
granted him Breiðabólstaður í Vesturhópi, one of the best farms in the region, in what is now Vestur-Húnavatnssýsla
, in Northern Iceland. Einarr held this benefice until his death. Einarr was one of the leading clerics in the diocese of Hólar
, taking various official roles. He is best known, however, for his writing: he began the annal Lögmannsannál, a chronicle which Einarr continued up to 1361, when it was taken over by someone else. He almost certainly composed Lárentius saga, a biography of Einarr's friend and teacher Lárentíus Kálfsson
, sometime after 1346; and wrote or otherwise appeared in a number of official documents. In 1381, he also translated the miracle-story Atburðr á Finnmörk from Latin into Icelandic.
Einar was the son of Hafliði Steinsson, who had been a priest of the Norwegian king, a ráðsmaðr (steward) at Hólar
from 1292 to 1308 and finally the priest at Breiðabólstaður í Vesturhópi until his death in 1319; his mother was Hafliði's concubine Rannveig Gestsdóttir. Einar was sent to study with Lárentíus Kálfsson at the monastery of Þingeyri
at the age of 10, later becoming a follower and secretary for Lárentíus. Too ill at the time to ordain Einarr, Lárentíus sent Einarr to the southern diocese of Skálholt
for consecration there by Bishop Jón Halldórsson
in 1332.
Einarr is also one of the few fourteenth-century Icelanders known to have travelled outside Scandinavia. According to his annals, in 1347 Einarr 'geck ... af landi brott. ok for til paua gardz ok var j Auinione .ix. nætr. for vm Frankarike aftr ok fram. ok var j Paris. vm nockorn tima' ('went ... away from the land [Norway], and travelled to the papal court, and was in Avignon
for nine nights, and travelled widely in France, and was in Paris for some time').
Einarr's son was Árni, a farmer at Auðbrekka í Hörgárdal, the father of Þorleifr Árnason.
Nidaros
Nidaros or Niðarós was during the Middle Ages, the old name of Trondheim, Norway . Until the Reformation, Nidaros remained the centre of the spiritual life of the country...
granted him Breiðabólstaður í Vesturhópi, one of the best farms in the region, in what is now Vestur-Húnavatnssýsla
Vestur-Húnavatnssýsla
Vestur-Húnavatnssýsla is a county of Iceland. It is located in the Norðurland vestra region of the country....
, in Northern Iceland. Einarr held this benefice until his death. Einarr was one of the leading clerics in the diocese of 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...
, taking various official roles. He is best known, however, for his writing: he began the annal Lögmannsannál, a chronicle which Einarr continued up to 1361, when it was taken over by someone else. He almost certainly composed Lárentius saga, a biography of Einarr's friend and teacher Lárentíus Kálfsson
Lárentíus Kálfsson
Lárentíus Kálfsson , 10 August 1267–16 April 1331) was bishop of the northern Icelandic diocese of Hólar 1324–31....
, sometime after 1346; and wrote or otherwise appeared in a number of official documents. In 1381, he also translated the miracle-story Atburðr á Finnmörk from Latin into Icelandic.
Einar was the son of Hafliði Steinsson, who had been a priest of the Norwegian king, a ráðsmaðr (steward) at 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...
from 1292 to 1308 and finally the priest at Breiðabólstaður í Vesturhópi until his death in 1319; his mother was Hafliði's concubine Rannveig Gestsdóttir. Einar was sent to study with Lárentíus Kálfsson at the monastery of Þingeyri
Þingeyri
Thingeyri is a settlement in the municipality of Ísafjarðarbær, Iceland.It is located on the coats of the fjord Dýrafjörður in the mountainous peninsula Westfjords...
at the age of 10, later becoming a follower and secretary for Lárentíus. Too ill at the time to ordain Einarr, Lárentíus sent Einarr to the southern diocese of Skálholt
Skálholt
Skálholt is an historical site situated in the south of Iceland at the river Hvítá.-History:Skálholt was, through eight centuries, one of the most important places in Iceland. From 1056 until 1785, it was one of Iceland's two episcopal sees, along with Hólar, making it a cultural and political...
for consecration there by Bishop Jón Halldórsson
Jon Halldorsson
Jon Holldorsson is a paralympic athlete from Iceland competing mainly in category T35 sprint events.Jon won the silver medal in both the 100m and 200m at the 2004 Summer Paralympics, in both events being beaten South Africa's Teboho Mokgalagadi. He also finished behind Tegoho in the 2008 Summer...
in 1332.
Einarr is also one of the few fourteenth-century Icelanders known to have travelled outside Scandinavia. According to his annals, in 1347 Einarr 'geck ... af landi brott. ok for til paua gardz ok var j Auinione .ix. nætr. for vm Frankarike aftr ok fram. ok var j Paris. vm nockorn tima' ('went ... away from the land [Norway], and travelled to the papal court, and was in Avignon
Avignon
Avignon is a French commune in southeastern France in the départment of the Vaucluse bordered by the left bank of the Rhône river. Of the 94,787 inhabitants of the city on 1 January 2010, 12 000 live in the ancient town centre surrounded by its medieval ramparts.Often referred to as the...
for nine nights, and travelled widely in France, and was in Paris for some time').
Einarr's son was Árni, a farmer at Auðbrekka í Hörgárdal, the father of Þorleifr Árnason.
Sources
- http://timarit.is/view_page_init.jsp?pageId=3552604, 'Fornir bæir undir Hekluhrauni', Sunnudagsblað Tímans, 5. April 1964.
- http://timarit.is/view_page_init.jsp?pageId=3560386, 'Pétur Nikulásson Hólabiskup', Sunnudagsblað Tímans, 6. June 1971.
- Elton, Oliver (trans.), The Life of Laurence Bishop of Hólar in Iceland (London: Rivington, 1890), available at http://www.archive.org/details/lifeoflaurencebi00einauoft.
- Árni Björnsson (ed.), Laurentius saga biskups, Rit handritastofunar Íslands, 3 (Reykjavík: Handritastofnun Íslands, 1969).
- Guðrún Ása Grímsdóttir (ed.), Biskupa sögur III: Árna saga biskups, Lárentius saga biskups, Söguþáttr Jóns Halldórssonar biskups, Biskupa ættir, Íslenzk fornrit, 17 (Reykjavík: Hið Íslenzka fornritfélag, 1998).