Flateyjarbók
Encyclopedia
Manuscript
A manuscript or handwrite is written information that has been manually created by someone or some people, such as a hand-written letter, as opposed to being printed or reproduced some other way...
. It is also known as GkS 1005 fol. and by the Latin name Codex Flateyensis.
Description
The Flatey Book is the largest medieval Icelandic manuscript, comprising 225 written and illustrated vellum leaves. It contains mostly sagas of the Norse kings as found in the HeimskringlaHeimskringla
Heimskringla is the best known of the Old Norse kings' sagas. It was written in Old Norse in Iceland by the poet and historian Snorri Sturluson ca. 1230...
, specifically the sagas about Olaf Tryggvason
Olaf I of Norway
Olaf Tryggvason was King of Norway from 995 to 1000. He was the son of Tryggvi Olafsson, king of Viken , and, according to later sagas, the great-grandson of Harald Fairhair, first King of Norway.Olaf played an important part in the often forcible, on pain of torture or death, conversion of the...
, St. Olaf
Olaf II of Norway
Olaf II Haraldsson was King of Norway from 1015 to 1028. He was posthumously given the title Rex Perpetuus Norvegiae and canonised in Nidaros by Bishop Grimkell, one year after his death in the Battle of Stiklestad on 29 July 1030. Enshrined in Nidaros Cathedral...
, Sverre, Hakon the Old
Haakon IV of Norway
Haakon Haakonarson , also called Haakon the Old, was king of Norway from 1217 to 1263. Under his rule, medieval Norway reached its peak....
, Magnus the Good
Magnus I of Norway
Magnus I , known as the Good or the Noble, was the King of Norway from 1035 to 1047 and the King of Denmark from 1042 to 1047. He was an illegitimate son of king Olaf II of Norway, but fled with his mother in 1028 when his father was dethroned. In 1035 he returned to Norway and was crowned king at...
, and Harald Hardrada. But they appear here expanded with additional material not found elsewhere (some of it being very old) along with other unique differences. Most—but not all—of the additional material is placed within the royal sagas, sometimes interlaced. Additionally, the manuscript contains the only copy of the eddic poem Hyndluljóð
Hyndluljóð
Hyndluljóð or Lay of Hyndla is an Old Norse poem often considered a part of the Poetic Edda. It is preserved in its entirety only in Flateyjarbók but some stanzas are also quoted in the Prose Edda where they are said to come from Völuspá hin skamma.In the poem, the goddess Freyja meets the völva...
, a unique set of annals from creation to 1394, and many short tales not otherwise preserved such as Nornagests þáttr
Norna-Gests þáttr
Norna-Gests þáttr or the Story of Norna-Gest is a legendary saga about the Norse hero Norna-Gest.-Summary:Norna-Gest was the son of a Danish man named Thord of Thinghusbit, who once dwelt on the estate of Grøning in Denmark. When he was born, three Norns arrived and had foretold the child's...
("the Story of Norna Gest").
Especially important is the Grœnlendinga saga
Grœnlendinga saga
The Grœnlendinga saga is an Icelandic saga. Along with Eiríks saga rauða it is one of the two main literary sources of information for the Norse exploration of North America. It relates the colonization of Greenland by Erik the Red and his followers...
("History of the Greenlanders"), giving an account of the Vinland
Vinland
Vinland was the name given to an area of North America by the Norsemen, about the year 1000 CE.There is a consensus among scholars that the Vikings reached North America approximately five centuries prior to the voyages of Christopher Columbus...
colony with some differences from the account contained in Eiríks saga rauða ("History of Eirík the Red"). Here also are preserved the only Icelandic versions of the Orkneyinga saga
Orkneyinga saga
The Orkneyinga saga is a historical narrative of the history of the Orkney Islands, from their capture by the Norwegian king in the ninth century onwards until about 1200...
("History of the Orkney Islanders") and Færeyinga saga
Færeyinga Saga
The Færeyinga Saga , the Norse saga of Faroemen, is the story of how the Faroes were converted to Christianity and became a part of the Kingdom of Norway.-Summary:It was written in Iceland shortly after 1200...
("History of the Faroe Islanders").
History
From internal evidence the book was being written in 1387 and was completed in 1394 or very soon after. The first page states that its owner is "Jonn Hakonar son" and that the book was scribed by two priests. One of them, "Jon prestr Þórðar son", scribed the contents from the tale of Eirík the Traveller down to the end of the two Olaf sagas and the other, "Magnús prestr Thorhallz sun", scribed the earlier and later material and also drew the illustrations.Further material was inserted towards the end of the 15th century.
The manuscript first received special attention by the learnèd in 1651 when Bishop Brynjólfur Sveinsson
Brynjólfur Sveinsson
Brynjólfur Sveinsson served as the Lutheran Bishop of the see of Skálholt in Iceland. His main influence has been on modern knowledge of Old Norse literature. He is currently pictured on the Icelandic 1000 krónur bill....
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...
, with the permission of King Frederick III of Denmark
Frederick III of Denmark
Frederick III was king of Denmark and Norway from 1648 until his death. He instituted absolute monarchy in Denmark and Norway in 1660, confirmed by law in 1665 as the first in western historiography. He was born the second-eldest son of Christian IV of Denmark and Anne Catherine of Brandenburg...
, requested all folk of Iceland who owned old manuscripts to turn them over to the Danish king, providing either the original or a copy, either as a gift or for a price. Jon Finnsson, who resided on Flatey ('Flat Island') in Breiðafjörður
Breiðafjörður
Breiðafjörður is a large shallow bay, about 50 km wide and 125 km long and located in the west of Iceland. It separates the region of the Westfjords from the rest of the country. Breiðafjörður is encircled by mountains, including glacier Snæfellsjökull the Snæfellsnes peninsula on the south side...
on the west coast of Iceland, was then the owner of the book which was already known as the Flateyjarbók. At first Jon refused to release his precious heirloom, the biggest and best book in all of Iceland, and he continued to refuse even when Bishop Brynjólfur paid him a personal visit and offered him five hundreds of land. Jon only changed his mind and bestowed the book on the bishop just as the bishop was leaving the region.
The manuscript was given as a present from Bishop Brynjólfur to King Frederick III in 1656, and placed in the Royal Library of Copenhagen. (The rest of Bishop Brynólfur's collection was dispersed by his heirs, who had no interest in a collection of old mansucripts, and most disappeared forever, though fortunately paper transcripts had been made from many of them.) The Flatey Book and the Codex Regius
Codex Regius
Cōdex Rēgius is an Icelandic manuscript in which the Poetic Edda is preserved. It is made up of 45 vellum leaves, thought to have been written in the 1270s. It originally contained a further 8 leaves, which are now missing...
were repatriated to Iceland in 1971 as Icelandic national treasures and are preserved and studied by the Árni Magnússon Institute.
Contents
Flateyjarbók consists of the following texts:- Geisli - a religious poem on St. Olaf II of NorwayOlaf II of NorwayOlaf II Haraldsson was King of Norway from 1015 to 1028. He was posthumously given the title Rex Perpetuus Norvegiae and canonised in Nidaros by Bishop Grimkell, one year after his death in the Battle of Stiklestad on 29 July 1030. Enshrined in Nidaros Cathedral...
- Ólafs ríma HaraldssonarÓlafs ríma HaraldssonarÓlafs ríma Haraldssonar is a 14th century ríma by Einarr Gilsson on the career of Saint Óláfr Haraldsson of Norway.The work is preserved in Flateyjarbók, from around 1390, and was probably composed a couple of decades earlier. The narrative follows the account of Óláfr's life in Heimskringla,...
- a poem on St. OlafOlaf II of NorwayOlaf II Haraldsson was King of Norway from 1015 to 1028. He was posthumously given the title Rex Perpetuus Norvegiae and canonised in Nidaros by Bishop Grimkell, one year after his death in the Battle of Stiklestad on 29 July 1030. Enshrined in Nidaros Cathedral...
in the rímurRímurIn Icelandic literature, a ríma is an epic poem written in any of the so-called rímnahættir . They are rhymed, they alliterate and consist of two to four lines per stanza...
style, the earliest such poetry - HyndluljóðHyndluljóðHyndluljóð or Lay of Hyndla is an Old Norse poem often considered a part of the Poetic Edda. It is preserved in its entirety only in Flateyjarbók but some stanzas are also quoted in the Prose Edda where they are said to come from Völuspá hin skamma.In the poem, the goddess Freyja meets the völva...
- A short piece from Gesta Hammaburgensis Ecclesiae PontificumGesta Hammaburgensis ecclesiae pontificumGesta Hammaburgensis ecclesiae pontificum is a historical treatise written between 1075 and 1080 by Adam of Bremen. It covers the period from 788 to the time it was written. The treatise consist of:*Liber I...
- Sigurðar þáttr slefu
- Hversu Noregr byggðist
- Genealogies of Norwegian kings
- Eiríks saga víðförla
- Ólafs saga Tryggvasonar (Flateyjarbók), including:
- Grœnlendinga sagaGrœnlendinga sagaThe Grœnlendinga saga is an Icelandic saga. Along with Eiríks saga rauða it is one of the two main literary sources of information for the Norse exploration of North America. It relates the colonization of Greenland by Erik the Red and his followers...
- Færeyinga sagaFæreyinga SagaThe Færeyinga Saga , the Norse saga of Faroemen, is the story of how the Faroes were converted to Christianity and became a part of the Kingdom of Norway.-Summary:It was written in Iceland shortly after 1200...
- Jómsvíkinga sagaJómsvíkinga sagaThe Jómsvíkinga saga relates of the founding of Jomsborg by Palnatoke, and of the famous Viking brotherhood of the Jomsvikings....
- Otto þáttr keisara
- Fundinn Noregr
- Orkneyinga þáttr
- Albani þáttr ok Sunnifu
- Íslands bygging
- Þorsteins þáttr uxafóts
- Sörla þáttrSörla þáttrSörla þáttr is a short narrative from a later and extended version of the Saga of Olaf Tryggvason found in the Flateyjarbók manuscript, which was written and compiled by two Christian priests, Jon Thordson and Magnus Thorhalson, in the late 14th century.The narrative begins 24 years after the death...
- Stefnis þáttr Þorgilssonar
- Rögnvalds þáttr ok Rauðs
- Hallfreðar þáttr vandræðaskálds
- Kjartans þáttr Ólafssonar
- Ögmundar þáttr dyttsÖgmundar þáttr dyttsÖgmundar þáttr dytts ok Gunnars helmings is one of the Icelandic þættir. It was written in the 14th century. It relates the story of Ögmundr dyttr, a cousin of Víga-Glúmr from Víga-Glúms saga. He is insulted in Norway and achieves revenge in a clever way...
- Norna-Gests þáttrNorna-Gests þáttrNorna-Gests þáttr or the Story of Norna-Gest is a legendary saga about the Norse hero Norna-Gest.-Summary:Norna-Gest was the son of a Danish man named Thord of Thinghusbit, who once dwelt on the estate of Grøning in Denmark. When he was born, three Norns arrived and had foretold the child's...
- Helga þáttr ÞórissonarHelga þáttr Þórissonar-Sources and external links:********...
- Þorvalds þáttr tasalda
- Sveins þáttr ok Finns
- Rauðs þáttr hins ramma
- Hrómundar þáttr halta
- Þorsteins þáttr skelks
- Þiðranda þáttr ok ÞórhallsÞiðranda þáttr ok ÞórhallsÞiðranda þáttr ok Þórhalls or Þiðranda þáttr Síðu-Hallssonar is a short tale preserved within the Saga of Olaf Tryggvason in Flateyjarbók...
- Kristni þáttr
- Eiríks þáttr rauða
- Svaða þáttr ok Arnórs kerlingarnefs
- Eindriða þáttr ilbreiðs
- Orms þáttr Stórólfssonar
- Hálfdanar þáttr svarta
- Haralds þáttr hárfagra
- Hauks þáttr hábrókar
- Ólafs saga helgaÓláfs saga helgaÓláfs saga helga or the Saga of St. Olaf can refer to several different kings' sagas.*Oldest Saga of St. Olaf, ca. 1190, mostly lost.*Legendary Saga of St. Olaf, ca. 1210.*Óláfs saga helga by Styrmir Kárason, ca. 1220, mostly lost....
, including: - Fóstbrœðra sagaFóstbrœðra sagaFóstbrœðra saga or The Saga of the Sworn Brothers is one of the Icelanders' sagas. It relates the deeds of the sworn brothers Þorgeirr and Þormóðr in early 11th century Iceland and abroad....
- Orkneyinga sagaOrkneyinga sagaThe Orkneyinga saga is a historical narrative of the history of the Orkney Islands, from their capture by the Norwegian king in the ninth century onwards until about 1200...
- Færeyinga sagaFæreyinga SagaThe Færeyinga Saga , the Norse saga of Faroemen, is the story of how the Faroes were converted to Christianity and became a part of the Kingdom of Norway.-Summary:It was written in Iceland shortly after 1200...
- Nóregs konungatalNóregs konungatalNóregs konungatal is an Icelandic skaldic poem. Composed around 1190 the poem is preserved in the 14th century Flateyjarbók manuscript. It is based on the lost historical work of Sæmundr fróði and is the best extant testimony on the scope of Sæmundr's work...
- Haralds þáttr grenska
- Ólafs þáttr Geirstaðaálfs
- Styrbjarnar þáttr SvíakappaStyrbjarnar þáttr SvíakappaStyrbjarnar þáttr Svíakappa is a short story, a þáttr on the Swedish claimant and Jomsviking Styrbjörn the Strong preserved in the Flatey Book ....
- Hróa þáttr heimskaHróa þáttr heimskaHróa þáttr heimska or the Tale of Roi the Fool is a short story from Iceland about a Dane called Hrói the Fool who is helped in a legal dispute by the wise old Swede Þorgnýr the Lawspeaker, and which takes place in the late 10th century...
- Eymundar þáttr hrings
- Tóka þáttr TókasonarTóka þáttr Tókasonar-Sources and external links:****...
- Isleifs þáttr byskups
- Eymundar þáttr af Skörum
- Eindriða þáttr ok Erlings
- Ásbjarnar þáttr Selsbana
- Knúts þáttr hins ríka
- Steins þáttr Skaptasonar
- Rauðúlfs þáttrRauðúlfs þáttrRauðúlfs þáttr is a short allegorical story preserved in Iceland in a number of medieval manuscripts. The author is unknown but was apparently a 12th–13th century ecclesiastical person...
- Völsa þáttrVölsa þáttrVǫlsa þáttr is a short story which is only extant in the Flatey Book, where it is found in a chapter of Óláfs saga helga. It is probably from the fourteenth century but takes place in 1029 when Scandinavia was still largely pagan, and it appears to preserve traditions of a pagan phallos cult, the...
- Brenna Adams byskups
- Sverris sagaSverris sagaSverris saga is one of the kings' sagas. Its subject is King Sverre Sigurdsson of Norway and it is the main source for this period of Norwegian history. As the foreword tells us, the saga in its final form consists of more than one part. Work first began in 1185 under the king’s direct supervision...
- Hákonar saga HákonarsonarHákonar saga HákonarsonarHákonar saga Hákonarsonar is an Old Norse kings' saga, telling the story of the life and reign of King Haakon Haakonarson of Norway. The saga was written by the Icelandic historian and chieftain Sturla Þórðarson, in the 1260s...
- An addendum to Ólafs saga helga by Styrmir Kárason
- A saga of King Magnus the Good and King Harald Hardrada of the MorkinskinnaMorkinskinnaMorkinskinna is an Old Norse kings' saga, relating the history of Norwegian kings from approximately 1025 to 1157. The saga was written in Iceland around 1220, and has been preserved in a manuscript from around 1275....
type - Hemings þáttr Áslákssonar
- Auðunar þáttr vestfirzkaAuðunar þáttr vestfirzkaAuðunar þáttr vestfirska is a short tale preserved in three distinct versions as part of the saga of Harald III of Norway , as the saga is told in the manuscripts Morkinskinna, Flateyjarbók, and several others...
- Sneglu-Halla þáttr
- Halldórs þáttr Snorrasonar
- Þorsteins þáttr forvitna
- Þorsteins þáttr tjaldstæðings
- Blóð-Egils þáttr
- Grœnlendinga þáttr (not to be confused with Grœnlendinga sagaGrœnlendinga sagaThe Grœnlendinga saga is an Icelandic saga. Along with Eiríks saga rauða it is one of the two main literary sources of information for the Norse exploration of North America. It relates the colonization of Greenland by Erik the Red and his followers...
) - Helga þáttr ok Úlfs
- Játvarðar saga helga - Saga of King Edward
- Flateyjarannálar
External links
- Guðbrandur and Unger edition, volume 1 (1860), volume 3 (1868)
- Manuscript facsimile list, search for GKS 1005 fol.
- Flateyjarbók at Saganet.
- Text and English translation by Loptsson of Eireks þáttr rauða ('Tale of Eirík the Red') and Grœnlendinga þáttir ('Tale of the Greenlanders') from the Flatey Book.