Sturlusons

The Sturlusons refer to members of the Icelandic Sturlungar, a powerful clan of goðar (chieftains) in the 12th and 13th centuries. The surname Sturluson is a patronymic meaning “son of Sturla,” reflecting the Icelandic naming practice rather than a fixed family surname. As a political and literary lineage, the Sturlungs played a central role in the period known as the Sturlung Age, influencing Icelandic affairs through alliances, feuds, and legal maneuvering.

During the Sturlung era, roughly from the 1220s to the 1260s, the Sturlungs dominated the Icelandic Commonwealth, contending with rival clans for power and control over the goði system. Their internal conflicts contributed to political instability that ultimately weakened Iceland’s traditional governance. The period ended with Iceland’s submission to Norwegian rule under the Old Covenant (Gamli sáttmáli) in 1262–1264, marking a major shift in Icelandic political history.

Notable Sturlusons include Snorri Sturluson (c. 1179–1241), the renowned chieftain, poet, and historian who authored Heimskringla and the Prose Edda. Sturla Þórðarson (c. 1210s–1288) was a prominent chieftain and writer who contributed to the Sturlunga saga, a compilation of historical texts about the era and its leaders. The family produced other poets and scribes who contributed to Icelandic literary and legal culture.

The Sturluns’ legacy endures in Icelandic history and literature, particularly through the Sturlunga saga, which remains a key source for understanding the politics and culture of medieval Iceland.