The first Icelandic historians (11th - early 12th centuries)

The medieval Icelandic historiography of the late 11th - early 12th centuries gave impetus to the further development of Icelandic historical thought. Although little has been preserved from the works of historians of that period, they served as the basis for the historical works of the 13th century, which glorified Iceland and became widely known. Among the first Icelandic historians, Sæmundr Sigfússon (1056-1133), Ári Þorgílsson (1067 / 68-1148) and Kolskeggr Ásbjörnsson (d. c. 1130), who received the nicknames «The Wise» (inn fróði) from the descendants, should be recognized as the most significant historians. The founder of the Icelandic historical school is considered to be the priest Sæmundr Sigfússon. He wrote in Latin about the history of Norway and the early history of Iceland, but his works did not survive. All his works are reconstructed due to the references to them by later authors. No less famous is Ári Þorgílsson, who wrote in Old Norse around the same time or a little later. His Íslendingabók (“Book of Icelanders”) tells about the first period of Icelandic history: the settlement of Iceland and Greenland, the baptism of the country and the establishment of bishops. With a high degree of probability, Ári’s work was used to create the proto-edition of the Landnámabók (“The Book of the Settlements”), as well as the work now lost by one of their contemporary, who turned out to be undeservedly ignored by the descendants - Kolskeggr Ásbjörnsson. This statement is based not only on direct references to Ári and Kolskeggr available in the Landnámabók, but also on the textual analysis of the fragments allegedly created on the basis of their works.