Snorri

Snorri Sturluson (circa 1179–1241) was an Icelandic historian, poet, and statesman who played a central role in the politics and culture of Iceland during the early 13th century. He belonged to the powerful Sturlungar clan, which dominated Icelandic affairs for decades as the country navigated internal conflicts and shifts in power.

He is best known for his literary and historical works that shaped later perceptions of Norse myth and medieval Scandinavian history. The Prose Edda, or Younger Edda, attributed to him and compiled in the 1220s–1230s, is a manual for poets that preserves and organizes Norse myth and poetic tradition. It includes the sections Gylfaginning, Skáldskaparmál, and Háttatal, drawing on older sources and oral tradition. Snorri also authored or organized Heimskringla, a comprehensive history of the Norwegian kings from legendary times to 1177, which became a foundational text for later Norse historiography.

In parallel with his writing, Snorri was deeply involved in Icelandic politics and law, leveraging his influence to shape events during the Commonwealth era. He was killed in 1241 at his residence in Reykholt during a violent power struggle among rival factions, an event that marked a turning point in the country’s political landscape.

His legacy endures through his influence on Norse literature and the study of medieval Scandinavia. The Prose Edda remains a central source for Norse myth and poetics, while Heimskringla continues to inform modern understanding of Norwegian and broader Norse history. Scholarly debate continues regarding details of his life and the compilation of his works, but Snorri Sturluson is widely regarded as a pivotal figure in medieval Icelandic literature.