Sigvarður Þéttmarsson

Sigvarður Þéttmarsson († 1268 ) was bishop of Skálholt in the south of Iceland from 1238 .

Parentage and career

Sigvarður Þéttmarsson came from Norway . There he was first abbot in Selje (today's Vestland province ).

He was the first of a series of foreign bishops to serve in Icelandic bishops. This was not least due to the changed political situation in Iceland. After all, in the 13th century the country was in a state similar to civil war, and the kings of Norway sought to take control of it.

After both Icelandic bishoprics were orphaned at about the same time, the Icelanders had chosen new bishops in parliament according to their custom and sent them to the archbishop responsible for the ordination in Nidaros in Norway. However, none of these men was ordained bishop. The Norwegian King Håkon the Elder wanted to increase his influence in Iceland and as a result persuaded the Archbishop to fill both bishoprics with Norwegians who would like him.

In the middle of the battle

Sigvarður took office as Bishop of Skálholt in 1238.

He was promptly involved in various disputes during the Sturlungen era. The incident became famous when fights between Órækja Snorrason , who wanted to avenge the death of his father Snorri Sturluson , and Gissur Þorvaldsson , who had fled to Skálholt, stretched into the bishop's church and front yard, and the bishop stopped this activity by stopping this he appeared in full regalia on the threshold and the excommunication imposed on Órækja Snorrason. In 1241 Gissur Þorvaldsson had led the men who killed Snorri Sturluson on the orders of the Norwegian king.

Age

In the years 1250 to 1254 the bishop stayed abroad and Brandur Jónsson represented him in office.

When Jörundur Þorsteinsson, a new bishop of Hólar , was elected in 1267 , he was briefly appointed as bishop over all of Iceland because Sigvarður had become too obsolete to be able to pursue his office.

Árni Þorláksson was now sent to Skálholt to take over the official business in representation, and after the death of Sigvarður in the next year he took over the bishopric.

literature

• Jón R. Hjálmarsson: Átök og ófriður við Þjóðveginn. Reykjavík, Almenna bókafélagið, 2002.

See also

• History of Iceland

Web links

• Skálholt's website (Icelandic)
• G. Jónsson: SIGURÐUR OG ÓLAFUR. In: Morgunblaðið. July 20, 1996. (on the name and its origin, mentioning the bishop (Icelandic))

Individual evidence

1. ↑ cf. Jón R. Hjálmarsson: Átök og ófriður við Þjóðveginn. Reykjavík 2002.

predecessor	Office	successor
Magnús Gissurarson	Bishop of Skálholt 1238–1268	Árni Þorláksson

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 .