Sæmundur inn fróði Sigfússon

Miguel Andrade (Universidade de Lisboa)

Ed. by Ármann Jakobsson, University of Iceland
The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.3.4: Icelandic Writing and Culture.
Vol. editors: Ármann Jakobsson (University of Iceland), Nicole Kennedy (University of Newcastle), Sven Hakon Rossel (Universitat Wien), Herbert Rowland (Purdue University), Jakob Stougaard-Nielsen (University College London)

Dates

Born 1056
Died 22 May 1133

Places

Active in Iceland

Activities

Primary

Priest
Prose writer

Resources

Sigfússon's Works

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Sæmundr

inn fróði

(“the learned”) Sigfússon (c. 1056-1133) was a prominent Icelandic priest who may have been the first Icelandic historian, although his work was not preserved. Sæmundr is also the first notable member of the Oddaverjar family (so called after their home farm of Oddi in South Iceland), who would come to be among the most influential political players of late 12th century and early 13th century Iceland.

The sources that mention Sæmundr are sparse and of varying authority and several details about his life and work have been in contention. Nevertheless, it is certain that during his lifetime he already achieved the reputation of a most learned man, as Ari Þorgilsson (c.1067–1148) asked him to review Íslendingabók (c. 1122-1133), alongside bishops Þorlákr

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3127 words

Citation: Andrade, Miguel. "Sæmundur inn fróði Sigfússon". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 15 May 2025 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=15068, accessed 20 May 2025.]