Medieval Oddi in Iceland as a Place of Power and Learning: Clerics, Chieftains, and Textual Culture

Medieval Oddi in Iceland is well known for its famous inhabitants: the priest and chief Sæmundr (d. 1133), later an outstanding magician in Icelandic folk-tales; his grandson the magnificent chieftain Jón Loptsson (d. 1197), of royal descent through his Norwegian mother; and his fosterson, Snorri Sturluson (d. 1241), author of the much acclaimed Prose Edda and Heimskringla. Bishop Þorlákr (d. 1193) also studied at Oddi and, like Sæmundr, later studied abroad. These are illustrious men in the history of Iceland. 12th- and 13th-century Oddi and the Oddi family are an important subject for those who want to study the origins of the outstanding textual culture of medieval Iceland. Contributors are Miguel Andrade, Auður Magnúsdóttir, Ármann Jakobsson, Árni Freyr Magnússon, Chris Callow, Egill Erlendsson, Guðrún Harðardóttir, Gunnar Harðarson, Halldís Ármannsdóttir, Helgi Þorláksson, Kristborg Þórsdóttir, Richard North, Oddur Pálsson, Sigurlaugur Ingólfsson, Sverrir Jakobsson, Tómas Aron Þórarinsson, and Viðar Pálsson.