is an account of the life of Páll Jónsson (1155–1211) who served as the bishop of the Icelandic diocese of Skálholt from 1195 to his death. Páll was the son of the Icelandic magnate Jón Loftsson of Oddi, himself a descendant from King Magnús Barelegs of Norway. His mother was the sister of his predecessor St. Þorlákr of Skálholt. In the early Church of Iceland, there was a close connection between the two dioceses and the magnates of Oddi and Haukadalr in particular and texts from the period emphasize this fact rather than deny it (Jakobsson 2000).
There has been much speculation to what degree the family of Oddi (Oddaverjar) were prominent in historical writing from c. 1140 to 1260, and Páll himself is sometimes suggested as the author of anonymous texts.
564 words
Citation: Jakobsson, Ármann. "Páls saga biskups". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 11 October 2022 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=40798, accessed 12 October 2024.]