Klængur Þorsteinsson

Klængur Þorsteinsson (German Klangur Thorsteinsson ) (* 1102 ; † February 28, 1176 ) was Bishop of Skálholt in the south of Iceland .

origin

The bishop came from one of Iceland's most prestigious families, the Reyknesingar family. His mother was born on the rich Reykhólar farm on Breiðafjörður .

Election and episcopal ordination

Actually, after the sudden death of Magnús Einarsson, a certain Hallur Teitsson was elected as the next bishop in this episcopal see. But he died in Holland in 1150.

Klængur Þorsteinsson was then elected. He came from the north of Iceland and had been a priest at the renowned court and bishopric Hólar í Hjaltadal.

On April 6, 1152 he was consecrated by Áskel , the archbishop of Lund in Sweden at the place of the archbishopric to the bishop of Skálholt.

Work of the bishop

Model of a medieval Icelandic stave church, National Museum, Reykjavík

Bishop Klængur was known for his learning and talent as a poet.

But he became famous for the huge church that he had built in Skálholt after his consecration. As we know today, it was a Norwegian style stave church. Their wood was imported from Norway on two ships. It was not completed until after the death of Bishop Klængur. Their dimensions were: 48.5 m in length, 22 m in width and 13.5 m in height. This church has long been considered the most important building in Iceland until it burned down in 1309 when it was struck by lightning.

After all, he is also considered the founder of Þykkvabæjarklaustur and the Flatey monastery (which was later relocated to the Helgafell near Stykkishólmur ).

He himself chose erorlákur Þórhallsson as his successor .

literature

• Biskupsstólanna saga. Hólar 2006.

See also

• History of Iceland

Web links

• On Klængur Þorsteinsson and his church, Skálholt parish website (Icelandic); see. also: [1] (Icelandic)
• Hungrvaka (original text), Chapter 17, p. 112 ff. (Latin / Icelandic)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ mbl.is greinasafn of April 8, 1995: Klængur biskup og dómkirkjan í Skálholti Eftir Erlend Sveinsson , accessed on July 28, 2010 (Icelandic)
2. ↑ compare mbl.is greinasafn from April 8, 1995: Klængur biskup og dómkirkjan í Skálholti Eftir Erlend Sveinsson Þegar dómkirkjan var fullbyggð (að Klængi látum) er talið að húöngafi verið um 48,5 metra lúnar um 22 hæð hennar around 13.5 metrar. Retrieved July 28, 2010 (Icelandic)

predecessor	Office	successor
Magnús Einarsson	Bishop of Skálholt 1152–1176	Þorlákur Þórhallsson

Note: Icelanders are referred to by their first name or first and last name, but not just their surname. Further information can be found under Icelandic personal name .