Árni beiskur
Encyclopedia
Árni beiskur (died 22 October 1253) was an Iceland
er. He was a follower of Gissur Þorvaldsson
who undertook the task of killing Snorri Sturluson
.
Íslendinga saga
reports the event in an almost newspaper style:
After that they discovered where Snorri was and those entered the cellar: Markús Marðarson, Símon knútur, Árni beiskur, Þorsteinn Guðinason, Þórarinn Ásgrímsson. Símon knútur asked Árni beiskur to kill him.
Thou shalt not hew, said Snorri.
Hew thou, said Símon.
Thou shalt not hew, said Snorri.
Then Árni dealt him a fatal blow, and after that both he and Þorsteinn added further injuries.
It would have been an act of irony, if the killer of Iceland's greatest writer of the Middle Ages
had escaped punishment. He didn't.
He was captured in another battle and executed (Flugumýrarbrenna). He didn't ask for mercy, and the last words spoken of him were those of Kolbeinn Dufgusson: Nobody remembers Snorri Sturluson, if you are to be spared.
Árni beiskur is otherwise an obscure character in Icelandic history, but his own last words, as recorded, point to a certain strength of character. In the words of Íslendinga saga
, after he had run out from Flugumýrarbrenna, being aged, he stumbled and lay defenseless:
Árni beiskur is here, says he, and I will not ask for clemency. I also see that not far from me lies another whom I wish to follow. (The one lying beside him was Hallur Gissurarson, son of Gissur Þorvaldsson).
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
er. He was a follower of Gissur Þorvaldsson
Gissur Þorvaldsson
Gissur Thorvaldsson was a medieval Icelandic chieftain or goði of the Haukdælir family clan, and great-grandson of Jón Loftsson....
who undertook the task of killing Snorri Sturluson
Snorri Sturluson
Snorri Sturluson was an Icelandic historian, poet, and politician. He was twice elected lawspeaker at the Icelandic parliament, the Althing...
.
Íslendinga saga
Íslendinga saga
Íslendinga saga makes up a large part of Sturlunga, a compilation of medieval Icelandic skin manuscripts dating back to around AD 1300.Íslendinga saga has been a major source of material for historians concerning events in early 13th century Iceland. The author is commonly believed to have been...
reports the event in an almost newspaper style:
After that they discovered where Snorri was and those entered the cellar: Markús Marðarson, Símon knútur, Árni beiskur, Þorsteinn Guðinason, Þórarinn Ásgrímsson. Símon knútur asked Árni beiskur to kill him.
Thou shalt not hew, said Snorri.
Hew thou, said Símon.
Thou shalt not hew, said Snorri.
Then Árni dealt him a fatal blow, and after that both he and Þorsteinn added further injuries.
It would have been an act of irony, if the killer of Iceland's greatest writer of the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
had escaped punishment. He didn't.
He was captured in another battle and executed (Flugumýrarbrenna). He didn't ask for mercy, and the last words spoken of him were those of Kolbeinn Dufgusson: Nobody remembers Snorri Sturluson, if you are to be spared.
Árni beiskur is otherwise an obscure character in Icelandic history, but his own last words, as recorded, point to a certain strength of character. In the words of Íslendinga saga
Íslendinga saga
Íslendinga saga makes up a large part of Sturlunga, a compilation of medieval Icelandic skin manuscripts dating back to around AD 1300.Íslendinga saga has been a major source of material for historians concerning events in early 13th century Iceland. The author is commonly believed to have been...
, after he had run out from Flugumýrarbrenna, being aged, he stumbled and lay defenseless:
Árni beiskur is here, says he, and I will not ask for clemency. I also see that not far from me lies another whom I wish to follow. (The one lying beside him was Hallur Gissurarson, son of Gissur Þorvaldsson).