Hákonar saga Hákonarsonar
Encyclopedia
Hákonar saga Hákonarsonar (The Saga of Haakon Haakonarson) 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 Iceland
ic historian and chieftain Sturla Þórðarson
, in the 1260s. Sturla was at the court of Haakon's son Magnus
when he learned of his father's death, and he is said to have immediately commissioned Sturla to write his father's saga. It is the main source to Norwegian history for the period of 1217 (Haakon's accession) to his death in 1263.
Small parts of the saga, concerned with Haakon's campaign to Scotland in 1263, were translated to English by James Johnstone and printed in 1782, reprinted in 1882. The whole saga was printed in an English translation by G.W. Dasent in 1894, reprinted in 1964.
Old Norse
Old Norse is a North Germanic language that was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and inhabitants of their overseas settlements during the Viking Age, until about 1300....
kings' saga
Kings' sagas
The kings' sagas are Norse sagas which tell of the lives of Scandinavian kings. They were composed in the 12th to 14th centuries in Iceland and Norway....
, telling the story of the life and reign of King Haakon Haakonarson
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....
of Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. The saga was written by the Iceland
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...
ic historian and chieftain Sturla Þórðarson
Sturla Þórðarson
Sturla Þórðarson was an Icelandic politician/chieftain and writer of sagas and contemporary history during the 13th century.Sturla was the son of Þórður Sturluson and his mistress Þóra. He was a nephew and pupil of the famous saga-writer Snorri Sturluson...
, in the 1260s. Sturla was at the court of Haakon's son Magnus
Magnus VI of Norway
Magnus VI Lagabøte or Magnus Håkonsson , was king of Norway from 1263 until 1280.-Early life:...
when he learned of his father's death, and he is said to have immediately commissioned Sturla to write his father's saga. It is the main source to Norwegian history for the period of 1217 (Haakon's accession) to his death in 1263.
Small parts of the saga, concerned with Haakon's campaign to Scotland in 1263, were translated to English by James Johnstone and printed in 1782, reprinted in 1882. The whole saga was printed in an English translation by G.W. Dasent in 1894, reprinted in 1964.
External links
- From the Saga of King Hakon Hakonsson Partial English translation
- Haakon Haakonsøns Saga Norwegian translation by P. A. Munch
- Old Norse text Codex Frisianus version