Íslendinga Saga : A History of the Old Icelandic Commonwealth

Table of Contents

• Cover 1
• Table of Contents 6
• List of Illustrations and Maps 9
• From the Author's Foreword 10
• A Prefatory Note from the Translator 11
• DISCOVERY AND SETTLEMENT 14
• Thule 14
• Did the Romans Reach Iceland? 15
• Papar 16
• The Norsemen Arrive in Iceland 20
• Landnámabók (The Book of Settlements) 24
• Chronology 26
• The Origin of the Icelanders 28
• Reasons for the Settlement 37
• Early Methods of Establishing Settlements 41
• Pattern of Settlement and Population 44
• FORM OF GOVERNMENT 48
• The Founding of the Althing 48
• The Site of the Althing 54
• The Dates of the Annual Sessions of the Althing 57
• The Hallowing of the Althing and its Prorogation 58
• The Lawspeaker 60
• The Division of the Country into Quarters 62
• Chieftains — Their Power and Jurisdiction 66
• The Court of Legislature 76
• The Quarter Courts 79
• Skapti the Lawspeaker and the Fifth Court 83
• District and Midsummer Assemblies 87
• 'Hreppar' and Guilds 96
• The Codification of the Secular Law 102
• VOYAGES AND EXPLORATIONS 107
• Icelandic Ocean-Going Vessels and the Icelandic Language 107
• The Discovery and the Settlement of Greenland 111
• The Discovery of the North American Continent 114
• A Part of the Icelanders' 'Imago Mundi' 117
• The Art of Navigation 119
• The Treaty between the Icelanders and King Ólafr the Saint of Norway 122
• CHURCH AND RELIGION 131
• Heathenism and Irish Christianity 131
• Historical Sources on Christian Missions and the Introduction of Christianity 137
• Christian Missionary Work and the Christianization of Iceland 138
• Missionary Bishops from Abroad 151
• Bishop Ísleifr 157
• Bishop Gizurr Ísleifsson and his Contemporaries 160
• The Founding of the Episcopal See of Hólar — Bishop Jón Ögmundarson 166
• Schools and Foreign Influences 169
• The Code of Church Law and the Administrative Structure of the Icelandic Church 173
• Assets and Income of Churches and Clergy 182
• The First Steps towards Ecclesiastical Autonomy — Bishop Thorlákr Thórhallsson 192
• Disputes over the Patronages of Churches and Church Property 195
• Reforms 199
• Icelandic Saints 203
• Monasteries 205
• Bishop Guðmundr Arason 213
• Foreign Bishops 227
• Celibacy of the Clergy 229
• The Resolution of the Court of Legislature in 1253 231
• THE DEATH THROES OF THE COMMONWEALTH 235
• The Acquisitiveness of the Kings of Norway 235
• The Development of the Power of Chieftains until ca. 1220 239
• Feuds between the Oddaverjar and the Norwegians — Snorri Sturluson 252
• Sturla Sighvatsson's Attempt to Obtain Power over the Whole of Iceland 260
• The Fate of Snorri and Órækja 266
• Thórðr Kakali 270
• A Struggle over Thórðr Kakali's Territory 277
• Earl Gizurr and the End of the Commonwealth 284
• Gizurr's Covenant 295
• ECONOMIC HISTORY AND MATERIAL CULTURE 301
• Animal Husbandry 301
• The Cultivation of Grain — Climate 309
• A Few Ancient Branches of Industry 313
• Fishing 316
• Imports 318
• Exports 323
• Administrative Control over Trade 330
• Navigation and Trade 335
• Standards of Value and the Calculation of Prices 341
• Improvements in Communications 348
• Housing 350
• Class Division 357
• The Author 372
• Genealogical Tables 374
• Lawspeakers during the Commonwealth Period 380
• Bishops during the Commonwealth Period 382
• A Select Bibliography of Works by Dr. Jón Jóhannesson 383
• Bibliography of Works Cited 384
• Index of Names 388
• A 388
• B 389
• C 390
• D 390
• E 390
• F 391
• G 392
• H 393
• I 395
• J 396
• K 397
• L 397
• M 398
• N 399
• O 399
• P 400
• R 400
• S 401
• T 404
• U 406
• V 406
• W 406
• Y 407