Óláfsdrápa Tryggvasonar is an Icelandic skaldic poem from ca. 1200. It relates the life story of the 10th century King Óláfr Tryggvason from his upbringing in Russia to his death at Svöldr. The poem is only preserved in Bergsbók

Bergsbók

Bergsbók is an Icelandic manuscript from the early 15th century. It contains the kings' sagas Óláfs saga Tryggvasonar en mesta, a long version of Óláfs saga helga and several short texts and poems, mostly associated with the two kings. The redaction of Óláfs saga Tryggvasonar en mesta is of the...

and the text there is defective. After 16 dróttkvætt verses there is a lacuna of an estimated 40 verses followed by 12 preserved final verses. The manuscript attributes the poem to Hallfreðr vandræðaskáld

Hallfreðr vandræðaskáld

Hallfreðr Óttarsson or Hallfreðr vandræðaskáld was an Icelandic skald. He is the protagonist of Hallfreðar saga according to which he was the court poet first of Hákon Sigurðarson, then of Óláfr Tryggvason and finally of Eiríkr Hákonarson...

, Óláfr's court poet, but this attribution is rejected by modern scholars. The poem has many similarities with Rekstefja, a poem from the same time on the same subject and preserved in the same manuscript.

While by no means an original or historically important poem, the Óláfsdrápa has been praised for its "engaging directness". The unknown author was influenced by earlier 12th century poets, such as Einarr Skúlason

Einarr Skúlason

Einarr Skúlason was an Icelandic priest and skald. He was the most prominent Norse poet of the 12th century.He was descended from the family of Egill Skallagrímsson, the so called Mýramenn. For most of his life he lived in Norway, with the kings Sigurðr Jórsalafari, Haraldr gilli and the sons of...

 and Þorkell Hamarskáld.