Glymdrápa
Encyclopedia
Glymdrápa is a skaldic poem composed by Þorbjörn hornklofi
toward the end of the 9th century. It recounts several battles waged by Haraldr hárfagri
("Fairhair"), mostly as he was subduing Norway
.
Composed in dróttkvætt, only seven stanzas and two half-stanzas of it are preserved, chiefly in the Heimskringla
(Haralds saga hárfagra). Glymdrápa is the oldest praise poem to a king (konungsdrápa) which has come down to us.
The poem has few clear geographical or historical points of reference, and the two sagas which quote it, Heimskringla and Fagrskinna
interpret it differently. In Heimskringla, the poem is said to recount Haraldr's fight against the people of Orkdal
at Oppdal
forest (Uppdalsskógr), the two battles of Solskjel, the first against king of Møre
Húnþjófr, his son Sölvi and his father-in-law Nökkvi, king of Romsdal
, the second against Sölvi and his allies Arnviðr, king of Sunnmøre
, and Auðbjörn, who ruled over the Fjords, his battles against the Gotlander
s and finally his expedition westwards to fight vikings, which led him to the Isle of Man
. According to Fagrskinna's account, part of the poem relates events of the battle of Hafrsfjord
, the decisive battle in Haraldr's unification of Norway.
Þorbjörn hornklofi
Þorbjörn Hornklofi was a 9th century Norwegian poet. He was the court poet of King Harald Fairhair.-Bibliography:*Glymdrápa - A drápa on King Harald.*Hrafnsmál/Haraldskvæði - Another poem on King Harald using the málaháttr metre....
toward the end of the 9th century. It recounts several battles waged by Haraldr hárfagri
Harald I of Norway
Harald Fairhair or Harald Finehair , , son of Halfdan the Black, was the first king of Norway.-Background:Little is known of the historical Harald...
("Fairhair"), mostly as he was subduing Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
.
Composed in dróttkvætt, only seven stanzas and two half-stanzas of it are preserved, chiefly in the Heimskringla
Heimskringla
Heimskringla is the best known of the Old Norse kings' sagas. It was written in Old Norse in Iceland by the poet and historian Snorri Sturluson ca. 1230...
(Haralds saga hárfagra). Glymdrápa is the oldest praise poem to a king (konungsdrápa) which has come down to us.
The poem has few clear geographical or historical points of reference, and the two sagas which quote it, Heimskringla and Fagrskinna
Fagrskinna
Fagrskinna is one of the kings' sagas, written around 1220. It takes its name from one of the manuscripts in which it was preserved, Fagrskinna meaning 'Fair Leather', i.e., 'Fair Parchment'. Fagrskinna proper was destroyed by fire, but copies of it and another vellum have been preserved...
interpret it differently. In Heimskringla, the poem is said to recount Haraldr's fight against the people of Orkdal
Orkdalen
Orkdalen or Orkladalen is a traditional Norwegian district in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. In the early Viking Age, before Harald Fairhair, Orkdalen was also a petty kingdom....
at Oppdal
Oppdal
is a village and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Dovre region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Oppdal. Other villages in the municipality include Lønset, Vognillan, Fagerhaug, and Holan...
forest (Uppdalsskógr), the two battles of Solskjel, the first against king of Møre
Møre
Møre is the name of two traditional districts in different parts of Scandinavia.*Møre og Romsdal, Norway.*Möre, Sweden....
Húnþjófr, his son Sölvi and his father-in-law Nökkvi, king of Romsdal
Romsdal
Romsdal is the name of a traditional district in the Norwegian county Møre og Romsdal, located between Nordmøre and Sunnmøre. The district of Romsdal comprises Aukra, Fræna, Midsund, Molde, Nesset, Rauma, Sandøy, and Vestnes. It is named for the valley of Romsdalen, which covers part of Rauma.The...
, the second against Sölvi and his allies Arnviðr, king of Sunnmøre
Sunnmøre
Sunnmøre is the southernmost traditional district of the western Norwegian county of Møre og Romsdal. Its main city is Ålesund. The region comprises the municipalities of Giske, Hareid, Herøy, Norddal, Sande, Skodje, Haram, Stordal, Stranda, Sula, Sykkylven, Ulstein, Vanylven, Volda, Ørskog,...
, and Auðbjörn, who ruled over the Fjords, his battles against the Gotlander
Gotlander
The Gutes or the Gotlanders are the population of the island of Gotland. The ethnonym is identical to Goths , and both names were originally Proto-Germanic *Gutaniz. Their language is called Gutnish .-Early history:The oldest history of the Gutes is retold in the Gutasaga...
s and finally his expedition westwards to fight vikings, which led him to the Isle of Man
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
. According to Fagrskinna's account, part of the poem relates events of the battle of Hafrsfjord
Battle of Hafrsfjord
The Battle of Hafrsfjord has traditionally been regarded as the battle in which western Norway for the first time was unified under one monarch.The national monument of Haraldshaugen was raised in 1872, to commemorate the Battle of Hafrsfjord...
, the decisive battle in Haraldr's unification of Norway.