Halldór Halldórsson. Lund i islänska källor

• Author: Halldór Halldórsson
• Title: Lund i islänska källor
• Published in: Gardar 6
• Place, Publisher:
• Year: 1975
• Pages: 26-34
• E-text:
• Reference: Halldór Halldórsson. "Lund i islänska källor." Gardar 6 (1975): 26-34.

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• Key words:

HÖF: In the ... article the author discusses material he has found concerning the city of Lund in Icelandic sources. He points out that according to Landnámabók (The Book of Settlement) one of the first discoverers of Iceland was Swedish. His name, his father's name and the name of his slave, which is found in a South Swedish placename, indicate that this story is not absolutely without foundation. Much more dubious is the episode in Egils saga Skallagrímssonar in which Egill participated in an attack on Lund about 936. If this story, however, is true the first occurrence of the name Lund is found in a strophe which Egill is said to have composed on this occasion. Many philologists think that this strophe is genuine. Lund became an archiepiscopal seat in 1103, not only for Denmark, Norway and Sweden, but also for Iceland and because of this Lund became the ecclesiastical capital of Iceland up to 1152. Here many Icelandic bishops were ordained. The episode of Jón Bishop of Hólar's visit to Lund in 1105-1106 is especially dealt with. This story is found in the Biskupa sögur (Sagas of Bishops). Although it is in the first place written to glorify the holy bishop there may be some truth in it. While Lund was the archiepiscopal seat for Iceland the first ecclesiastical law for Iceland was made, and this certainly had great influence on the Icelandic church. The author does not know of any mention of Lund in Icelandic sources from the Middle Ages till the 18th century. Then Hannes Finnsson, who later became bishop, went on an expedition to Stockholm to investigate old manuscripts. He wrote a diary, Stokkhólksrella, where the examination regulations for the University of Lund are described. Hannes Finnsson's description is precise and interesting. This description is dealt with and quoted in the latter part of the article. (33-34)

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