Allsherjargoði
Encyclopedia
Allsherjargoði (ˈalsˌhɛrjarˌkɔði, All-Warring Chieftain) was an office in the Icelandic Commonwealth
, held by the goði who held the goðorð of the descendants of Ingólfr Arnarson, the first settler of Iceland. The role of the allsherjargoði was to sanctify the Althing
as it began every year.
Þorsteinn Ingólfsson, son of Ingólfr Arnarson, was a goði when the Althing was founded in 930 and became the first allsherjargoði. His son, Þorkell máni Þorsteinsson, inherited the office ca. 945 while at the same time being lawspeaker
. He was succeeded by his son Þormóðr Þorkelsson, who held office from 984 to 1020. His son, Hamall Þormóðsson held office until 1055. Hamall had three sons, Þormóðr, Torfi and Már but it is not known who of the three inherited the office and for the following century it is not known who held the office. In 1160, Guðmundr gríss Ámundason, presumably a descendant of Hamall, was in office as allsherjargoði. He held the office until his death in 1197 when his son, Magnús góði Guðmundarson, took over. Magnús held office until 1234. He had no sons and it is unknown who inherited the office after this. One theory holds that Árni óreiða Magnússon, nephew of Guðmundr gríss and son-in-law of Snorri Sturluson
, inherited the office and became the last allsherjargoði. The Icelandic Commonwealth came to an end in 1262 when the goðar pledged fealty to the Norwegian king.
The chief religious official of the pagan revival group Ásatrúarfélagið (founded in 1972) is called allsherjargoði. The first to carry the title was Sveinbjörn Beinteinsson
while the current occupant is Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson
. Pagan groups outside of Iceland also sometimes use this title for their leaders.
Icelandic Commonwealth
The Icelandic Commonwealth, Icelandic Free State, or Republic of Iceland was the state existing in Iceland between the establishment of the Althing in 930 and the pledge of fealty to the Norwegian king in 1262...
, held by the goði who held the goðorð of the descendants of Ingólfr Arnarson, the first settler of Iceland. The role of the allsherjargoði was to sanctify the Althing
Althing
The Alþingi, anglicised variously as Althing or Althingi, is the national parliament of Iceland. The Althingi is the oldest parliamentary institution in the world still extant...
as it began every year.
Þorsteinn Ingólfsson, son of Ingólfr Arnarson, was a goði when the Althing was founded in 930 and became the first allsherjargoði. His son, Þorkell máni Þorsteinsson, inherited the office ca. 945 while at the same time being lawspeaker
Lawspeaker
A lawspeaker is a unique Scandinavian legal office. It has its basis in a common Germanic oral tradition, where wise men were asked to recite the law, but it was only in Scandinavia that the function evolved into an office...
. He was succeeded by his son Þormóðr Þorkelsson, who held office from 984 to 1020. His son, Hamall Þormóðsson held office until 1055. Hamall had three sons, Þormóðr, Torfi and Már but it is not known who of the three inherited the office and for the following century it is not known who held the office. In 1160, Guðmundr gríss Ámundason, presumably a descendant of Hamall, was in office as allsherjargoði. He held the office until his death in 1197 when his son, Magnús góði Guðmundarson, took over. Magnús held office until 1234. He had no sons and it is unknown who inherited the office after this. One theory holds that Árni óreiða Magnússon, nephew of Guðmundr gríss and son-in-law of Snorri Sturluson
Snorri Sturluson
Snorri Sturluson was an Icelandic historian, poet, and politician. He was twice elected lawspeaker at the Icelandic parliament, the Althing...
, inherited the office and became the last allsherjargoði. The Icelandic Commonwealth came to an end in 1262 when the goðar pledged fealty to the Norwegian king.
The chief religious official of the pagan revival group Ásatrúarfélagið (founded in 1972) is called allsherjargoði. The first to carry the title was Sveinbjörn Beinteinsson
Sveinbjörn Beinteinsson
Sveinbjörn Beinteinsson , a native of Iceland, was instrumental in helping to gain recognition by the Icelandic government for the pre-Christian Norse religion...
while the current occupant is Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson
Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson
Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson , also known as HÖH , is a musician, an art director, and allsherjargoði of Ásatrúarfélagið ....
. Pagan groups outside of Iceland also sometimes use this title for their leaders.