Jón Magnússon (author)
Encyclopedia
Jón Magnússon was an Iceland
ic Lutheran
pastor and author of the Píslarsaga (Passion Saga or Story of My Sufferings), which recounts the physical and mental torments he believed he had suffered as a result of witchcraft
.
, who ensured he had the grammar school
education which allowed him to become a pastor. After eight years at Ögur, in 1644 Jón Magnússon become the pastor of the village of Eyri, where he helped restore the dilapidated church.
, as Jón Magnússon had alleged. They were condemned and burned at the stake on April 10, 1656.
Nevertheless, Jón Magnússon's illness continued even after the Jón Jónssons had been executed. At first, he believed it was because their bodies had not been burned thoroughly, but when this too was done he gained only a brief respite before the torments began again. Jón Magnússon believed that there was another witch involved and his attention turned to Þuríður Jónsdóttir, the daughter of the elder Jón Jónsson. This time the authorities proved less responsive to his pleas. Þuríður fled from the district and found support with a leading churchman and his wife. The second part of the Píslarsaga is an account of Jón Magnússon's further torments and his attacks on the authorities he believed were allowing witchcraft to run rife in Iceland. At the Thingvellir (parliament) held in the summer of 1658, Þuríður Jónsdóttir was completely acquitted of all charges against her. Her beauty and intelligence made a strong impression and she was able to call on several witnesses to testify in her favour, whereas Jón Magnússon could only produce one, a "wandering prophet" called Erlendur Ormsson. Although defeated, Jón Magnússon continued his campaign, which included writing the Píslarsaga by way of justifying his actions. In 1660, Þuríður Jónsdóttir brought her own suit against him for persecution. After that, nothing is known for sure of the case, but it has been surmised that the two came to a private understanding and the matter was quietly dropped. Jón Magnússon continued to live an active life as pastor of Eyri until his retirement in 1689.
, during a time when there was an intense fear of witches in the city. Þorleifur Kortsson had been instrumental in the burning of three alleged sorcerers at Trékyllisvík in 1654. It is against this background that Jón Magnússon's accusations against Jón Jónsson and his children should be seen. In 1627, Jón Magnússon had not regarded his attack of illness as the result of magical influences, but in 1655 - a year after the burnings at Trékyllisvík - he ascribed his latest sufferings to witchcraft.
in 1914. The book is regarded as one of the outstanding examples of Icelandic literature
of its era and is written in a highly ornate, Baroque style.
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 Lutheran
Lutheranism
Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the theology of Martin Luther, a German reformer. Luther's efforts to reform the theology and practice of the church launched the Protestant Reformation...
pastor and author of the Píslarsaga (Passion Saga or Story of My Sufferings), which recounts the physical and mental torments he believed he had suffered as a result of witchcraft
Witchcraft
Witchcraft, in historical, anthropological, religious, and mythological contexts, is the alleged use of supernatural or magical powers. A witch is a practitioner of witchcraft...
.
Early life
Jón Magnússon was born in northern Iceland as one of nine children. He lost his mother at an early age but came under the protection of the Bishop of SkálholtSkálholt
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...
, who ensured he had the grammar school
Grammar school
A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and some other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching classical languages but more recently an academically-oriented secondary school.The original purpose of mediaeval...
education which allowed him to become a pastor. After eight years at Ögur, in 1644 Jón Magnússon become the pastor of the village of Eyri, where he helped restore the dilapidated church.
The events behind the Píslarsaga
All passed peacefully until 1655, when Jón Magnússon was involved in a dispute with two of his parishioners, a father and son both called Jón Jónsson. The younger Jón Jónsson had asked for the hand of Jón Magnússon's stepdaughter, Rannveig, in marriage but the pastor refused. That autumn, Jón Magnússon suddenly fell ill. Although he had already undergone a similar breakdown in his health in 1627, he ascribed this latest attack to witchcraft and he believed the culprits were the two Jón Jónssons. The first part of the Píslarsaga recounts his physical sufferings and his "demonic" visions, as well as his efforts to bring the "sorcerers" to justice. The legal authorities were initially reluctant to take action, but in March, 1656, the two Jón Jónssons were arrested. They confessed to dabbling with popular magic spells but not to being in league with the DevilDevil
The Devil is believed in many religions and cultures to be a powerful, supernatural entity that is the personification of evil and the enemy of God and humankind. The nature of the role varies greatly...
, as Jón Magnússon had alleged. They were condemned and burned at the stake on April 10, 1656.
Nevertheless, Jón Magnússon's illness continued even after the Jón Jónssons had been executed. At first, he believed it was because their bodies had not been burned thoroughly, but when this too was done he gained only a brief respite before the torments began again. Jón Magnússon believed that there was another witch involved and his attention turned to Þuríður Jónsdóttir, the daughter of the elder Jón Jónsson. This time the authorities proved less responsive to his pleas. Þuríður fled from the district and found support with a leading churchman and his wife. The second part of the Píslarsaga is an account of Jón Magnússon's further torments and his attacks on the authorities he believed were allowing witchcraft to run rife in Iceland. At the Thingvellir (parliament) held in the summer of 1658, Þuríður Jónsdóttir was completely acquitted of all charges against her. Her beauty and intelligence made a strong impression and she was able to call on several witnesses to testify in her favour, whereas Jón Magnússon could only produce one, a "wandering prophet" called Erlendur Ormsson. Although defeated, Jón Magnússon continued his campaign, which included writing the Píslarsaga by way of justifying his actions. In 1660, Þuríður Jónsdóttir brought her own suit against him for persecution. After that, nothing is known for sure of the case, but it has been surmised that the two came to a private understanding and the matter was quietly dropped. Jón Magnússon continued to live an active life as pastor of Eyri until his retirement in 1689.
Background: witch trials in 17th century Iceland
Execution for witchcraft was extremely rare in Iceland. The first burning at the stake took place only in 1625 and remained an isolated example until the 1650s. Thereafter, between 1654 and 1683, 20 people were burned for witchcraft, 19 men and one woman. These executions took place in the north and north-west of Iceland; elsewhere, there were accusations of witchcraft but ultimately nobody was condemned for it. The main reason for the upsurge in witch-burnings in this particular area has been ascribed to the influence of the prefect Þorleifur Kortsson, who had spent his early years abroad in HamburgHamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
, during a time when there was an intense fear of witches in the city. Þorleifur Kortsson had been instrumental in the burning of three alleged sorcerers at Trékyllisvík in 1654. It is against this background that Jón Magnússon's accusations against Jón Jónsson and his children should be seen. In 1627, Jón Magnússon had not regarded his attack of illness as the result of magical influences, but in 1655 - a year after the burnings at Trékyllisvík - he ascribed his latest sufferings to witchcraft.
The Píslarsaga in Icelandic literature
The Píslarsaga was composed in 1658-1659. It survives in a single manuscript dating to the 18th century and was first published in CopenhagenCopenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
in 1914. The book is regarded as one of the outstanding examples of Icelandic literature
Icelandic literature
Icelandic literature refers to literature written in Iceland or by Icelandic people. It is best known for the sagas written in medieval times, starting in the 13th century. As Icelandic and Old Norse are almost the same, and because Icelandic works constitute most of Old Norse literature, Old Norse...
of its era and is written in a highly ornate, Baroque style.
Sources
- L'histoire des mes souffrances (French translation of the Píslarsaga with an introduction by Einar Már Jónsson, Les Belles Letters, 2004)
English translation
- And Though This World With Devils Filled: A Story Of Sufferings (American University Studies Series VII, Theology and Religion) translated by Michael Fell (Peter Lang Publishing, 2007)