Islendingaboks

*Islendingabók* (Old Norse for "Book of the Icelanders") is a 13th-century genealogical and historical compilation that serves as a foundational source for the study of early Icelandic society, particularly the sagas and family lineages of the Icelandic chieftains (*goðar*). Attributed to the scholar and poet *Sturluson* (likely *Sturlu Þórðarson*), though its authorship remains debated, the work was compiled around 1220–1230, during the turbulent *Sturlungaöld* ("Age of Sturlungs") period.

The *Islendingabók* consists of two main parts: the *Íslendinga þættir* ("Tales of the Icelanders"), a collection of brief biographies of prominent Icelanders, and the *Íslendinga þáttr* ("Stories of the Icelanders"), which includes excerpts from sagas such as *Njáls saga* and *Egils saga*. It also contains genealogical tables tracing the descent of Icelandic families back to the Norse settlers of the 9th and 10th centuries, emphasizing their connections to legendary figures like *Yngvi-Frey* and *Hálfdan the Black*. The text reflects the political and social tensions of its time, particularly the conflicts between rival clans, and was likely intended to legitimize the claims of certain families to leadership.

While not a continuous narrative, the *Islendingabók* is valuable for its preservation of fragmented material from earlier sagas and its role in shaping the Icelandic national identity. It was later incorporated into the *Flateyjarbók* (a 14th-century manuscript) and other compilations, ensuring its survival. Modern scholars regard it as a key text for understanding the transition from oral tradition to written history in medieval Iceland.