Sverrir Jakobsson (b. 1970) is a professor of medieval history at the University of Iceland (Háskóli Íslands). Address: University of Iceland, Árnagarður, Room 420 102 Reykjavík ICELAND
VTU Review: Studies in the Humanities and Social Sciences, 2022
The aim of this article is to analyse the discourse about the people known as Rus and Varangians ... more The aim of this article is to analyse the discourse about the people known as Rus and Varangians which was prevalent among the erudite minority of the medieval Roman Empire. The earliest image of the Rus in Eastern Roman sources, found in the sermons of Patriarch Photios from 860, is one of inhumanity in the most basic sense of the word: the Rus are likened to a hailstorm and a roaring sea, they are wild boars and merciless barbarians. In a later letter, however, Photios adopts a different view: the Rus are no longer inhuman insofar as they are on their way to becoming members of the community of Christian nations. The images of the Rus in works from the time of Constantine VII Porphyrogennetos (r. 945-959) are very different from their representations in the writings of Photios as the Rus had become subjects of diplomatic efforts by the imperial court. The Rus are still very different from the Romans, but they are identified as people with their own government, their own hierarchy, and their own interests. The texts De ceremoniis and De Administrando Imperio offer both peaceful and aggressive models of coexistence , each characterized with a different gender aspect. In the eleventh century, a group of Scandinavians known as Varangians became separated from the Rus. Although not mentioned in works earlier than from the 1070s, they are referred to in connection with events happening as early as in the 1030s. Unlike the Rus, the identity of the Varangians was tied to their service to the Romans, as members of the Roman army, or even an independent group of soldiers. Loyalty was regarded as an important characteristic of the Varangians. The picture of the Varangians as supremely loyal subjects, yet with a clearly demarcated identity of their own, is the one that entered posterity as the archetype of the Varangian.
It is a common supposition that Iceland became a part of Norway over a period of few years follow... more It is a common supposition that Iceland became a part of Norway over a period of few years following 1262, that this was done through the adoption of a document known as The Old Covenant (ON. Gamli sattmali) and that the most important part of this transition was that the Icelanders now accepted the Norwegian king as their own king. Some of these statements must be subject to qualification. In fact, different parts of Iceland became subject to the Norwegian king at various times, the Old Covenant had no legal status neither in Iceland nor the Norwegian kingdom at large, and the Norwegian king had already been accepted as the ruler of most of Iceland before 1262.
This article will demonstrate that the incorporation of Iceland into the Norwegian realm involved three distinct but interconnected issues: The introduction of government into Iceland, the introduction of regular taxation and, finally, the adjustment of Icelandic laws to reflect the laws of the Norwegian kingdom. The focus will not be on the events of a single year or a period of few years, but on a longer period of transition, from 1220 to 1281, of which the adaption of Jónsbok was the final act.
An Article in Scandinavian Journal of History (2013), pp. 273-295.
See https://www.tandfonline.c... more An Article in Scandinavian Journal of History (2013), pp. 273-295.
An article in Viking and Medieval Scandinavia 14 (2018), 193-210.
See https://www.brepolsonline.... more An article in Viking and Medieval Scandinavia 14 (2018), 193-210.
A draft version of the published paper „The Early Kings of Norway, the Issue of Agnatic Successi... more A draft version of the published paper „The Early Kings of Norway, the Issue of Agnatic Succession and the Settlement of Iceland“, Viator. Journal of Medieval and Renaissance Studies, 47:3 (Autumn 2016), 171-88.
The early Norwegian kings are scarcely attested in sources earlier than the twelfth century, in contrast to the rich and varied descriptions of them from twelfth-and thirteenth-century sources. It will be argued that the historical narrative of their reign had direct relevance for at least two contemporary issues during the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. One was the precedence of sons of kings in the order of succession to the Norwegian throne. This claim was strengthened by the genealogical lines of the Norwegian kings which existed from the 1120s or 1130s onwards and demonstrated that the Norwegian monarchy had always passed to heirs in the direct male line. Another important issue was the aspiration of the Norwegian kings to extend their rule to Iceland in the thirteenth century. Paradoxically, at this very time the view gained ground in saga narratives that Icelandic settlers had been opponents of the earliest Norwegian kings.
„From Charismatic Power to State Power: The Political History of Iceland 1096-1281“, Sredniowiecz... more „From Charismatic Power to State Power: The Political History of Iceland 1096-1281“, Sredniowiecze Polskie i Powszechne (Polish and General Medieval Studies) 8 (12) (2016), 56-74
VTU Review: Studies in the Humanities and Social Sciences, 2022
The aim of this article is to analyse the discourse about the people known as Rus and Varangians ... more The aim of this article is to analyse the discourse about the people known as Rus and Varangians which was prevalent among the erudite minority of the medieval Roman Empire. The earliest image of the Rus in Eastern Roman sources, found in the sermons of Patriarch Photios from 860, is one of inhumanity in the most basic sense of the word: the Rus are likened to a hailstorm and a roaring sea, they are wild boars and merciless barbarians. In a later letter, however, Photios adopts a different view: the Rus are no longer inhuman insofar as they are on their way to becoming members of the community of Christian nations. The images of the Rus in works from the time of Constantine VII Porphyrogennetos (r. 945-959) are very different from their representations in the writings of Photios as the Rus had become subjects of diplomatic efforts by the imperial court. The Rus are still very different from the Romans, but they are identified as people with their own government, their own hierarchy, and their own interests. The texts De ceremoniis and De Administrando Imperio offer both peaceful and aggressive models of coexistence , each characterized with a different gender aspect. In the eleventh century, a group of Scandinavians known as Varangians became separated from the Rus. Although not mentioned in works earlier than from the 1070s, they are referred to in connection with events happening as early as in the 1030s. Unlike the Rus, the identity of the Varangians was tied to their service to the Romans, as members of the Roman army, or even an independent group of soldiers. Loyalty was regarded as an important characteristic of the Varangians. The picture of the Varangians as supremely loyal subjects, yet with a clearly demarcated identity of their own, is the one that entered posterity as the archetype of the Varangian.
It is a common supposition that Iceland became a part of Norway over a period of few years follow... more It is a common supposition that Iceland became a part of Norway over a period of few years following 1262, that this was done through the adoption of a document known as The Old Covenant (ON. Gamli sattmali) and that the most important part of this transition was that the Icelanders now accepted the Norwegian king as their own king. Some of these statements must be subject to qualification. In fact, different parts of Iceland became subject to the Norwegian king at various times, the Old Covenant had no legal status neither in Iceland nor the Norwegian kingdom at large, and the Norwegian king had already been accepted as the ruler of most of Iceland before 1262.
This article will demonstrate that the incorporation of Iceland into the Norwegian realm involved three distinct but interconnected issues: The introduction of government into Iceland, the introduction of regular taxation and, finally, the adjustment of Icelandic laws to reflect the laws of the Norwegian kingdom. The focus will not be on the events of a single year or a period of few years, but on a longer period of transition, from 1220 to 1281, of which the adaption of Jónsbok was the final act.
An Article in Scandinavian Journal of History (2013), pp. 273-295.
See https://www.tandfonline.c... more An Article in Scandinavian Journal of History (2013), pp. 273-295.
An article in Viking and Medieval Scandinavia 14 (2018), 193-210.
See https://www.brepolsonline.... more An article in Viking and Medieval Scandinavia 14 (2018), 193-210.
A draft version of the published paper „The Early Kings of Norway, the Issue of Agnatic Successi... more A draft version of the published paper „The Early Kings of Norway, the Issue of Agnatic Succession and the Settlement of Iceland“, Viator. Journal of Medieval and Renaissance Studies, 47:3 (Autumn 2016), 171-88.
The early Norwegian kings are scarcely attested in sources earlier than the twelfth century, in contrast to the rich and varied descriptions of them from twelfth-and thirteenth-century sources. It will be argued that the historical narrative of their reign had direct relevance for at least two contemporary issues during the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. One was the precedence of sons of kings in the order of succession to the Norwegian throne. This claim was strengthened by the genealogical lines of the Norwegian kings which existed from the 1120s or 1130s onwards and demonstrated that the Norwegian monarchy had always passed to heirs in the direct male line. Another important issue was the aspiration of the Norwegian kings to extend their rule to Iceland in the thirteenth century. Paradoxically, at this very time the view gained ground in saga narratives that Icelandic settlers had been opponents of the earliest Norwegian kings.
„From Charismatic Power to State Power: The Political History of Iceland 1096-1281“, Sredniowiecz... more „From Charismatic Power to State Power: The Political History of Iceland 1096-1281“, Sredniowiecze Polskie i Powszechne (Polish and General Medieval Studies) 8 (12) (2016), 56-74
Sturla Þórðarson. Skald, Chieftain and Lawman. The Northern World, 78, 2017
It has been argued that Membrana Reseniana no. 6, a manuscript that burned in the great fire of C... more It has been argued that Membrana Reseniana no. 6, a manuscript that burned in the great fire of Copenhagen 1728, was an encyclopaedic work originally belonging to Sturla Þórðarson, and at least partly written by him. Copies of several individual parts of this compilation have survived, and from these fragments we are able to gain a partial insight into the learning and interests of Sturla in the very years he was composing the historical narratives for which he is best known. In the following article the relationship between the contents of this vol-ume, henceforth known as the Encyclopaedia of Sturla Þórðarson (Alfræði Sturlu Þórðarsonar), and the other works of Sturla will be explored in order to illuminate the scholarly process by which Sturla Þórðarson conducted his research and composed the books attributed to him.
Published in Byzantium and the Viking World (Studia Byzantina Upsaliensia, 16), eds. Fedir Andros... more Published in Byzantium and the Viking World (Studia Byzantina Upsaliensia, 16), eds. Fedir Androsjtsjuk, Jonathan Shepard & Monica White, Uppsala: Uppsala Universitet, 345-62.
La matière arthurienne tardive en Europe, 1270-1530. Late Arthurian Tradition in Europe, 2020
A chapter in La matière arthurienne tardive en Europe, 1270-1530. Late Arthurian Tradition in Eur... more A chapter in La matière arthurienne tardive en Europe, 1270-1530. Late Arthurian Tradition in Europe, ed. Christine Ferlampin-Acher, Rennes: Presses universitaires de Rennes, 2020, 733-741.
An article in Routledge Research Companion to the Medieval Icelandic Sagas, eds. Ármann Jakobsson... more An article in Routledge Research Companion to the Medieval Icelandic Sagas, eds. Ármann Jakobsson & Sverrir Jakobsson, London & New York: Routledge, 175-86.
„Reykholt as a Centre of Power 3. Regional Power Centres – The Case of Borgarfjǫrðr“, Snorri Stur... more „Reykholt as a Centre of Power 3. Regional Power Centres – The Case of Borgarfjǫrðr“, Snorri Sturluson and Reykholt. The Author and Magnate, his Life, Works and Environment at Reykholt in Iceland, eds. Helgi Þorláksson & Guðrún Sveinbjarnardóttir, Kaupmannahöfn: Museum Tusculanum Press, 2018, 138-151.
An article in Approaches to Vínland. A Conference on the Written and Archaeological Sources for t... more An article in Approaches to Vínland. A Conference on the Written and Archaeological Sources for the Norse Settlements in the North Atlantic Region and Exploration of America. The Nordic House, Reykjavík 9-11 August 1999. Proceedings (Sigurður Nordal Institute Studies, 4), eds. Andrew Wawn & Þórunn Sigurðardóttir (Reykjavík, 2001), 88-104.
Nýtt Helgakver. Rit til heiðurs Helga Skúla Kjartanssyni sjötugum 1. febrúar 2019, 2019
An article in Nýtt Helgakver. Rit til heiðurs Helga Skúla Kjartanssyni sjötugum 1. febrúar 2019, ... more An article in Nýtt Helgakver. Rit til heiðurs Helga Skúla Kjartanssyni sjötugum 1. febrúar 2019, eds. Guðmundur Jónsson, Gunnar Karlsson, Ólöf Garðardóttir & Þórður Helgason, Reykjavík: Sögufélag, 2019, 1-13.
A draft version of a paper in Vísindavefur til heiðurs Þorsteini Vilhjálmssyni prófessors í vísin... more A draft version of a paper in Vísindavefur til heiðurs Þorsteini Vilhjálmssyni prófessors í vísindasögu við H.Í., eds. Orri Vésteinsson, Einar G. Guðmundsson, Eyja Margrét Brynjarsdóttir, Gunnar Karlsson & Sverrir Jakobsson (Reykjavík 2010), 231-38.
At the beginning of this history, in the ninth century, Iceland was uninhabited save for fowl and... more At the beginning of this history, in the ninth century, Iceland was uninhabited save for fowl and smaller arctic animals. At its end, in the middle of the sixteenth century, it had embarked on a course that led to the creation of a small country on the outskirts of Europe. The history of medieval Iceland is to some degree a microcosm of European history, but in other respects it has a trajectory of its own. As in Medieval Europe, the evolution of the Church, episodic warfare, and the strengthening of the bonds of government had an important role.
Unlike the rest of Europe, however, Iceland was not settled by humans until during the Middle Ages and it was without towns and any type of executive government until the late medieval period. This is a review of Icelandic history from the settlement until the advent of the Reformation, with an emphasis on social and political change, but also on cultural developments such as the creation of a particular kind of literature, known throughout the world as the sagas.
A view of medieval Icelandic history as it has never been told before from one of its leading historians. It will be of interest to students and scholars alike interested in Icelandic and medieval history.
This book is the history of the Eastern Vikings, the Rus and the Varangians, from their earliest ... more This book is the history of the Eastern Vikings, the Rus and the Varangians, from their earliest mentions in the narrative sources to the late medieval period, when the Eastern Vikings had become stock figures in Old Norse Romances. A comparison is made between sources emanating from different cultures, such as the Roman Empire, the Abbasid Caliphate and its successor states, the early kingdoms of the Rus and the high medieval Scandinavian kingdoms. A key element in the history of the Rus and the Varangians is the fashioning of identities and how different cultures define themselves in comparison and contrast with the other. This book offers a fresh and engaging view of these medieval sources, and a thorough reassessment of established historiographical grand narratives on Scandinavian people in the East.
The last fifty years have seen a significant change in the focus of saga studies, from a preoccupation with origins and development to a renewed interest in other topics, such as the nature of the sagas and their value as sources to medieval ideologies and mentalities.
The Routledge Research Companion to the Medieval Icelandic Sagas presents a detailed interdisciplinary examination of saga scholarship over the last fifty years, sometimes juxtaposing it with earlier views and examining the sagas both as works of art and as source materials.
This volume will be of interest to Old Norse and medieval Scandinavian scholars and accessible to medievalists in general.
Byzantium needed the military service of foreigners as much as the Scandinavians needed the empir... more Byzantium needed the military service of foreigners as much as the Scandinavians needed the empire as a foil for constructing their own cultural identity. Byzantium and the Viking World brings together scholars from the very different worlds of Byzantine and Scandina-vian studies, and from the different academic disciplines of archaeology, history and literature. They offer a snapshot of recent findings on the material evidence and the reasons for contacts between Byzantium and the Viking world, and on Byzantium's image in the Old Norse sagas and Rus chronicles , while presenting new interpretative models of cultural transfer between these worlds.
An introduction to the political history of Iceland in the high middle ages, with emphasis on the... more An introduction to the political history of Iceland in the high middle ages, with emphasis on the Sturlung Age, the conflicting loyalties and the political strategies of the main actors.
Í þessari doktorsritgerð Sverris Jakobssonar er fjallað um heimsmynd í samhengi við íslenskt samf... more Í þessari doktorsritgerð Sverris Jakobssonar er fjallað um heimsmynd í samhengi við íslenskt samfélag á tilteknum tíma, frá því að ritmenning breiðist út á Íslandi um 1100 og fram til 1400 þegar hún hefur tekið á sig allskýra drætti. Með heimsmynd er átt við kerfi til að lýsa heiminum, nánar tiltekið hinum sýnilega heimi og þeim sem hann byggja. Heimsmyndin ljær fyrirbærum í umhverfinu merkingu, setur þau í samhengi við eitthvað þekkt og áþreifanlegt. Um leið útilokar hún og skapar þagnir um það sem ekki fellur að henni og er því ekki skiljanlegt. Í íslenskum miðaldaritum birtist heimsmynd þess útvalins hóps sem var ekki séríslensk, heldur átti samkenni með heimsmynd klerka og menntamanna annars staðar í hinum kristna heimi. Það sem snýr að íslensku umhverfi er varla á skjön við ríkjandi heimsmynd í öðrum bændasamfélögum. Heimsmynd Íslendinga átti sér sérkenni en þau felast ekki síst í dugnaði Íslendinga við að tileinka sér kaþólska heimsmynd.
Þegar Ari fróði settist við skriftir á fyrri hluta 12. aldar beindist áhugi hans sérstaklega að B... more Þegar Ari fróði settist við skriftir á fyrri hluta 12. aldar beindist áhugi hans sérstaklega að Breiðfirðingum, hans eigin forfeðrum, hlutdeild þeirra í landnáminu og forystu í málefnum héraðsins. Síðan þá hafa Breiðfirðingar alltaf verið í lykilhlutverki í sagnaritun Íslendinga. Breiðafjörður hefur sérstöðu meðal héraða á Íslandi hvað varðar stjórnmál, menningu og atvinnuhætti. Þar hefur sjórinn verið þjóðbraut fremur en farartálmi, samnefnari og tenging fremur en sundrandi afl. Í þessari bók ræður sú sýn að byggðir við fjörðinn myndi heild. Hér segir frá höfðingjum og lærdómsmönnum eins og Ara en einnig bændum, konum, húskörlum og ambáttum, pólitískri sögu þeirra, lífsháttum og afkomu. Útkoman er saga sem aldrei hefur verið sögð áður.
Sverrir Jakobsson er prófessor í miðaldasögu við Háskóla Íslands. Eftir hann hafa áður komið út bókin Við og veröldin. Heimsmynd Íslendinga 1100–1400 og fræðileg útgáfa Hákonar sögu Hákonarsonar.
Í þessari doktorsritgerð Sverris Jakobssonar er fjallað um heimsmynd í samhengi við íslenskt samf... more Í þessari doktorsritgerð Sverris Jakobssonar er fjallað um heimsmynd í samhengi við íslenskt samfélag á tilteknum tíma, frá því að ritmenning breiðist út á Íslandi um 1100 og fram til 1400 þegar hún hefur tekið á sig allskýra drætti. Með heimsmynd er átt við kerfi til að lýsa heiminum, nánar tiltekið hinum sýnilega heimi og þeim sem hann byggja. Heimsmyndin ljær fyrirbærum í umhverfinu merkingu, setur þau í samhengi við eitthvað þekkt og áþreifanlegt. Um leið útilokar hún og skapar þagnir um það sem ekki fellur að henni og er því ekki skiljanlegt. Í íslenskum miðaldaritum birtist heimsmynd þess útvalins hóps sem var ekki séríslensk, heldur átti samkenni með heimsmynd klerka og menntamanna annars staðar í hinum kristna heimi. Það sem snýr að íslensku umhverfi er varla á skjön við ríkjandi heimsmynd í öðrum bændasamfélögum. Heimsmynd Íslendinga átti sér sérkenni en þau felast ekki síst í dugnaði Íslendinga við að tileinka sér kaþólska heimsmynd.
Christianization was an important and traumatic event that became embedded in the cultural memory... more Christianization was an important and traumatic event that became embedded in the cultural memory of Icelanders. Through the reconstruction of this event in historical narratives, there was an ongoing debate on the identity of Icelanders as a group as the cultural heritage of this group was institutionalized and cultivated by particular organizations and individuals. This is reflected in very different emphasis on individual agents in this process, which can be found in various historical works composed between 1070 and 1330. The general trend is that the narrative became more inclusive for a larger group with each major version, as the leading role passed from the Archbishop to a select group of few leading families to a larger group including leaders from all parts of Iceland and, finally, to the general population, the humble as well as the mighty.
An article in Þriðja íslenska söguþingið 18.-21. maí 2006. Ráðstefnurit, eds. Benedikt Eyþórsson ... more An article in Þriðja íslenska söguþingið 18.-21. maí 2006. Ráðstefnurit, eds. Benedikt Eyþórsson & Hrafnkell Lárusson (Reykjavík, 2007), 245-53.
ABSTRACT Most studies of state-formation concentrate on long periods of time, which is often nece... more ABSTRACT Most studies of state-formation concentrate on long periods of time, which is often necessary if one wants to examine the slow shifting of structures inherent in a long-drawn process. However, if we concentrate on the longue durée-aspects of such transfor-mations there are other aspects that we will invariably miss, such as: how did the process affect active participants in it at any given time? it is my intention in this article to offer a concentrated perspective on two important protagonists of this process in iceland: erlendr Ólafsson and his son, Haukr erlendsson. The period under study is limited to a couple of decades: the years 1290–1310. in this manner, i aim to present synchronic perspective on the process of state-formation and the intrinsic complexities of the situation that faced the most important social actors of this process.
„From Charismatic Power to State Power: The Political History of Iceland 1096-1281“, Sredniowiecz... more „From Charismatic Power to State Power: The Political History of Iceland 1096-1281“, Sredniowiecze Polskie i Powszechne (Polish and General Medieval Studies) 8 (12) (2016), 56-74
The subject of this article is the emergence of the term Nor!rlond in Old Norse textual culture, ... more The subject of this article is the emergence of the term Nor!rlond in Old Norse textual culture, the different meaning and functions of this term, and its connection with the idea of a Northern people who shared certain features, such as a common language, history, and identity. This will be explained through analysis of the precise meaning of the term Nor!rlond within medieval discourse, in particular with regard to how it was used in the Scandinavian lingua franca. A secondary aim is to explain its connection with related concepts in other languages, for example, Latin. In order to achieve this, an analysis will be made of how the term was used and in what context. In addition, the influence of power structures on the term and their uses will also be analysed. A third consideration will be how the inhabitants of Nor!rlond were defined, in other words, who was included and who was not. This study of medieval discourse is qualitative rather than quantitative, as befits the nature of...
In 1196 three messengers were sent by the Byzantine emperor Alexios III to the monarchs of Norway... more In 1196 three messengers were sent by the Byzantine emperor Alexios III to the monarchs of Norway, Denmark and Sweden, to request military assistance. In this article, an attempt is made to place this request in a historical context, to determine what the intentions of the emperor were and how the three kings of Norway, Denmark and Sweden would have interpreted it on their part. The mission is examined in the context of the journeys of Scandinavian dignitaries to Constantinople in the twelfth century. An important feature in all these descriptions is the continued presence of Scandinavian soldiers in the service of the Emperor, the Varangian Guard. The Varangians are portrayed as countrymen and natural allies of the new arrivals. It is argued that, although medieval Byzantium did not have a formal institution such as vassalage, the emperor certainly regarded the Scandinavian monarchs as his oath-bound “liegemen”, and that the mission of 1196 a part of that established Byzantine trend.
A review of Historical and Intellectual Culture in the Long Twelfth Century: The Scandinavian Con... more A review of Historical and Intellectual Culture in the Long Twelfth Century: The Scandinavian Connection (Durham Medieval and Renaissance Monographs and Essays 5). In Speculum 95:1 (2020):283-285.
A review of The Saint and the Saga Hero: Hagiography and Early Icelandic Literature by Siȃn E. Gr... more A review of The Saint and the Saga Hero: Hagiography and Early Icelandic Literature by Siȃn E. Grønlie. In Church History 87:4 (2018), 1194-1196.
Í bókinni Menningararftur á Íslandi er kynnt til sögunnar nýlegt fraeðilegt hugtak, gagnrýnin men... more Í bókinni Menningararftur á Íslandi er kynnt til sögunnar nýlegt fraeðilegt hugtak, gagnrýnin menningararfsfraeði. Í inngangi skilgreina ritstjórar menningararfinn sem svo að hann sé í stöðugri haettu á að verða eyðingunni að bráð: " Án haettunnar er enginn menningararfur: hlutir og siðir sem ekki eru í einhvers konar háska eru bara hluti af daglegu lífi og daglegu brauði " (bls. 9). Gagnrýnin menningarfraeði er það þegar fraeðimenn " beina sjónum sínum með gagnrýnum haetti að því sem gerist þegar hlutir, siðir og önnur fyrirbrigði menningarlífsins eru skilgreind af sérfraeðingum, stjórnmála-mönnum og stofnunum sem einkennandi eða á annan hátt mikilvaeg fyrir samfélagið í heild sinni, sjálfsmynd þess, sögu og samfellu " (bls. 11). Áhersla er lögð á að það sé háð samtímaaðstaeðum fremur en fortíðinni hverju sé hampað sem menningararfi. Í inngangi ritstjóra kemur fram að gagnrýnin menningararfsfraeði sé í mikilli gerjun og vísað í stofnun alþjóðlegs fagfélags fraeðimanna á þessu sviði árið 2012 (bls. 13). Í grein Valdimars Tr. Hafsteins, " Menning í öðru veldi " (bls. 19–39) er fjallað um tengslin milli uppgötvunar menningararfs og þess að eyðingar-haetta steðjar að honum. Hann tekur sem daemi tvö hús við Laekjargötu sem brunnu árið 2007 og hlutu við það " eldskírn " , töldust nú mikilvaegur hluti af menningararfi þjóðarinnar. Valdimar skilgreinir umraeðuna um menning-ararf sem póstmóderníska aðferð " til að fást við menningarmun eftir að fjara tók undan módernísku þjóðmenningarhugtaki sem hefur smám saman misst sannfaeringarkraft sinn og notagildi " (bls. 28). Hann raeðir þá þver-sögn að varðveisla minja um menningararf sprettur iðulega upp úr andófi gegn stórkarlalegum breytingaáformum pólitískra og efnahagslegra vald-hafa, elítunnar í samfélaginu, og byggist á samtakamaetti hinna valdalitlu. Takist hins vegar vel til, þannig að andspyrna í nafni menningararfs naer árangri, kostar það sitt; " stjórnsýslan umskapar athafnir almennings í sinni eigin mynd, með þeim taekjum sem henni eru tömust " (bls. 33). Viðurkenn-ing á að eitthvað teljist til menningararfs felur í sér aukið skipulag og mið-stýringu. Höfundur spyr, með ögn retórískum haetti, hvort sú athygli sem
Stephanos Yerasimos (Istanbul 1942- Paris 2005) was a pioneering scholar of Byzantine and Ottoman... more Stephanos Yerasimos (Istanbul 1942- Paris 2005) was a pioneering scholar of Byzantine and Ottoman Studies. His monumental monograph: Les voyageurs dans l’Empire Ottoman (XIVe-XVIe siècles). Bibliographie, itinéraires et inventaire des lieux habités (Ankara 1991), is a pioneering study on travelers to the Ottoman Empire and still one of the most important in the field. Nowadays, more than 30 years after the publication of his book it is worthly to revisit and widen its topic in time, with the organization of an international conference on Travelers in the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires (12th-16th c.) dedicated to his work and loving memory. The Conference will be hybrid (in Venice and virtually via zoom), from 15 to 17 December 2023. The proposed scholarly meeting seeks to illuminate not only the topic of Travelers and their writings, but also to offer an interdisciplinary forum for a selection of papers that may touch upon some of the following aspects: Travelers to Byzantium Travelers to Greece and Asia Minor Travelers to Constantinople Travelers to Cyprus Travelers to Istanbul Travelers in the Balkans Travelers in Anatolia Arab travelers to Byzantium Western Travelers to Byzantium Jewish Travelers to Byzantium Russian travelers to Byzantium Byzantine travelers to the East Byzantine travelers to the West Silk routes travelers Ibn Battutta Western travelers to the Ottoman Empire Ottoman travelers in the Ottoman Empire Ottoman travelers to the West Monuments through travelers’ chronicles Objects of minor arts through travelers’ chronicles Merchants and their travels Ambassadors and travels Travels and ports Travels and accommodation (inns, hans) Travels by sea Isolarii Maps and mapmaking Portolans Languages of Conference: English, French, Italian, Greek. The Proceedings of the Conference will be published by the Hellenic Institute of Venice.
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Journal Articles by Sverrir Jakobsson
This article will demonstrate that the incorporation of Iceland into the Norwegian realm involved three distinct but interconnected issues: The introduction of government into Iceland, the introduction of regular taxation and, finally, the adjustment of Icelandic laws to reflect the laws of the Norwegian kingdom. The focus will not be on the events of a single year or a period of few years, but on a longer period of transition, from 1220 to 1281, of which the adaption of Jónsbok was the final act.
See https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03468755.2013.803498
See https://www.brepolsonline.net/doi/abs/10.1484/J.VMS.5.116395
The early Norwegian kings are scarcely attested in sources earlier than the twelfth century, in contrast to the rich and varied descriptions of them from twelfth-and thirteenth-century sources. It will be argued that the historical narrative of their reign had direct relevance for at least two contemporary issues during the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. One was the precedence of sons of kings in the order of succession to the Norwegian throne. This claim was strengthened by the genealogical lines of the Norwegian kings which existed from the 1120s or 1130s onwards and demonstrated that the Norwegian monarchy had always passed to heirs in the direct male line. Another important issue was the aspiration of the Norwegian kings to extend their rule to Iceland in the thirteenth century. Paradoxically, at this very time the view gained ground in saga narratives that Icelandic settlers had been opponents of the earliest Norwegian kings.
This article will demonstrate that the incorporation of Iceland into the Norwegian realm involved three distinct but interconnected issues: The introduction of government into Iceland, the introduction of regular taxation and, finally, the adjustment of Icelandic laws to reflect the laws of the Norwegian kingdom. The focus will not be on the events of a single year or a period of few years, but on a longer period of transition, from 1220 to 1281, of which the adaption of Jónsbok was the final act.
See https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03468755.2013.803498
See https://www.brepolsonline.net/doi/abs/10.1484/J.VMS.5.116395
The early Norwegian kings are scarcely attested in sources earlier than the twelfth century, in contrast to the rich and varied descriptions of them from twelfth-and thirteenth-century sources. It will be argued that the historical narrative of their reign had direct relevance for at least two contemporary issues during the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. One was the precedence of sons of kings in the order of succession to the Norwegian throne. This claim was strengthened by the genealogical lines of the Norwegian kings which existed from the 1120s or 1130s onwards and demonstrated that the Norwegian monarchy had always passed to heirs in the direct male line. Another important issue was the aspiration of the Norwegian kings to extend their rule to Iceland in the thirteenth century. Paradoxically, at this very time the view gained ground in saga narratives that Icelandic settlers had been opponents of the earliest Norwegian kings.
Unlike the rest of Europe, however, Iceland was not settled by humans until during the Middle Ages and it was without towns and any type of executive government until the late medieval period. This is a review of Icelandic history from the settlement until the advent of the Reformation, with an emphasis on social and political change, but also on cultural developments such as the creation of a particular kind of literature, known throughout the world as the sagas.
A view of medieval Icelandic history as it has never been told before from one of its leading historians. It will be of interest to students and scholars alike interested in Icelandic and medieval history.
https://www.amazon.com/Routledge-Research-Companion-Medieval-Icelandic/dp/0367133652/
The last fifty years have seen a significant change in the focus of saga studies, from a preoccupation with origins and development to a renewed interest in other topics, such as the nature of the sagas and their value as sources to medieval ideologies and mentalities.
The Routledge Research Companion to the Medieval Icelandic Sagas presents a detailed interdisciplinary examination of saga scholarship over the last fifty years, sometimes juxtaposing it with earlier views and examining the sagas both as works of art and as source materials.
This volume will be of interest to Old Norse and medieval Scandinavian scholars and accessible to medievalists in general.
Sverrir Jakobsson er prófessor í miðaldasögu við Háskóla Íslands. Eftir hann hafa áður komið út bókin Við og veröldin. Heimsmynd Íslendinga 1100–1400 og fræðileg útgáfa Hákonar sögu Hákonarsonar.
Nowadays, more than 30 years after the publication of his book it is worthly to revisit and widen its topic in time, with the organization of an international conference on Travelers in the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires (12th-16th c.) dedicated to his work and loving memory. The Conference will be hybrid (in Venice and virtually via zoom), from 15 to 17 December 2023.
The proposed scholarly meeting seeks to illuminate not only the topic of Travelers and their writings, but also to offer an interdisciplinary forum for a selection of papers that may touch upon some of the following aspects:
Travelers to Byzantium
Travelers to Greece and Asia Minor
Travelers to Constantinople
Travelers to Cyprus
Travelers to Istanbul
Travelers in the Balkans
Travelers in Anatolia
Arab travelers to Byzantium
Western Travelers to Byzantium
Jewish Travelers to Byzantium
Russian travelers to Byzantium
Byzantine travelers to the East
Byzantine travelers to the West
Silk routes travelers
Ibn Battutta
Western travelers to the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman travelers in the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman travelers to the West
Monuments through travelers’ chronicles
Objects of minor arts through travelers’ chronicles
Merchants and their travels
Ambassadors and travels
Travels and ports
Travels and accommodation (inns, hans)
Travels by sea
Isolarii
Maps and mapmaking
Portolans
Languages of Conference: English, French, Italian, Greek.
The Proceedings of the Conference will be published by the Hellenic Institute of Venice.