Um Kristinboðsþættina
Abstract
T HE lOth century mission in Iceland is described in sources dating from the 12th, 13th and 14th centuries. In the most developed form of the description (in Olafs Saga Tryggvasotiar en mesta and Kristni Saga) three short narratives (þáttur, pl. þœttir) can be discerned which in the above mentioned works are ordered in chronological sequence according to their content. First is Þorvalds Þáttur Víðförla, then Stefnis Þáttur Þorgilssonar and finally Þangbrands Þáttur.
In the oldest sources, dating from the 12th century, e.g. Islendingabók, neither Þorvaldur Víðförli nor Stefnir Þorgilsson are mentioned as missionaries in Iceland; on the other hand Þangbrandur is.
Þorvalds Þáttur Víðförla is here compared with Þangbrands Þáttur. According to Þangbrands Þáttur the heathen, fierce people of northern Iceland forbade the missionary Þangbrandur to travel through their regions, but according to Þorvalds Þáttur Víðförla many inhabitants of northern Iceland were baptized early by a companion of Þorvaldur Víðförli and became christian (fullkomlega kristnir). Thus the two narratives contradict each other and it is obvious that Þorvalds Þáttur Víðförla was written against Þangbrands Þáttur as an apology for early christianity in the bishopric of Hólar. Direct references to Gunnlaugur Leifsson (d. 1218 or 19), local legendary tales from the surroundings of the monastery of Þingeyrar and the mentioning of the manor Saurbœr where there was a monastery for a short period in the beginning of the 13th century, indicate that Þorvalds Þáttur Víðförla was composed about 1200.
On the other hand, Þangbrands Þáttur was apparently known already in the 12th century and Þangbrandur, a German priest, was in the Middle Ages a famous missionary not only in Iceland but also in the Faroe Islands and in Norway. Þangbrands Þáttur is therefore older than Þorvalds Þáttur, but how old is it? Þangbrands Þáttur is preserved in three 13th century redactions, in Ólafs Saga Tryggvasonar en mesta, in Kristni Saga and in Njáls Saga.
The redaction that corresponds best to the information given about Þangbrandur in Íslendingabók is the Ólafs Saga-redaction, both regarding chronology and the number of men slain by Þangbrandur.
The Kristni Saga-redaction is obviously interpolated with local legends from the west of Iceland. The Njáls Saga-redaction is also obviously interpolated with local legends, but these are from south-eastern Iceland and ít has been maintained that this redaction shows influence from the monastery of Þykkvibœr. Besides, the Njáls Saga-redaction contains the most detailed descriptions of the killings carried out by Þangbrandur and his companion, the Icelandic chieftain Guðleifur Arason.
See rest in the PDF file of the chapter.
