Norse-Gaelic contacts in a Viking world : studies in the literature and history of Norway, Iceland, Ireland, and the Isle of Man

This multi-disciplinary volume draws on the combined expertise of specialists in the history and literature of medieval Ireland, Iceland, Norway, and Scotland to shed new light on the interplay of Norse and Gaelic literary traditions. Through four detailed case-studies, which examine the Norwegian 'Konungs skuggsjá', the Icelandic 'Njáls saga' and 'Landnámabók', and the Gaelic text 'Baile Suthach Sith Emhna', the volume explores the linguistic, cultural, and political contacts that existed between Norse and Gaelic speakers in the High Middle Ages, and examines the impetus behind these texts, including oral tradition, transfer of written sources, and authorial adaptation and invention. Crucially, these texts are not only examined as literary products of the thirteenth century, but also as repositories of older historical traditions, and the authors seek to explore these wider historical contexts, as well as analyse how and why historical and literary material was transmitted. The volume contains English translations of key extracts and also provides a detailed discussion of sources and methodologies to ensure that this milestone of scholarship is accessible to both students and subject-specialists. List of Illustrations vii Note on Orthography of Names ix Preface xi Chapter 1. Norse–Gaelic Contacts in a Viking World: Concept and Context 1 Defining Norse–Gaelic Contacts 1 Channels of Contact across the Norse–Gaelic Interface 11 Multilingual Literacy and Textual Transmission 26 Specific Textual Reflexes of Norse–Gaelic Contact 36 Conclusion 40 Chapter 2. The 'Wonders of Ireland' in 'Konungs skuggsjá': Text, Sources, Context 43 Introduction 43 'Wonders of Ireland': Text and Translation 45 The 'Wonders of Ireland' in 'Konungs skuggsjá' and Three Other Texts 61 The 'Wonders of Ireland' in 'Konungs skuggsjá' Analysed 66 Selectivity and the 'Wonders of Ireland' in 'Konungs skuggsjá' 83 Date and Context of 'Konungs skuggsjá': Hákon IV's Ambitions and Interest in Ireland 95 Textual Transmission and Compilation 105 Appendix 115 Chapter 3. 'Baile Suthach Síth Emhna', a Poem to Raghnall, King of Man: Text and Context 123 Introduction 123 'Baile Suthach Síth Emhna': Text and Translation 125 The Literary Context of 'Baile Suthach Síth Emhna' 142 The Literary Depiction of Raghnall, King of Man 147 Raghnall and Ulster 158 Raghnall and Dublin 164 Raghnall as Viking 175 Raghnall and Norway 181 Raghnall as Norse-Gaelic Leader 188 'Baile Suthach Síth Emhna': Raghnall's Perspective 190 'Baile Suthach Síth Emhna': Ideal and Reality 194 Chapter 4. The Battle of Clontarf in Icelandic Sources 197 Introduction 197 Textual Analysis 198 The Case for a '*Brjáns saga' 226 The Provenance of '*Brjáns saga' 240 The Battle of Clontarf in Old Norse Sources: Historical Function and Literary Perspectives 256 Conclusion 263 Chapter 5. Kjarvalr 'Írakonungr' and Gaelic Ancestry in Iceland 265 Introduction 265 References to Ireland in the Introduction to 'Landnámabók' 268 Gaelic Names in 'Landnámabók' 272 Royal and Aristocratic Gaelic Ancestry in 'Landnámabók' 319 The Case of Kjarvalr 'Írakonungr' 325 The Perception of Gaelic Ancestry in Thirteenth-Century Iceland 343 Conclusion 356 Conclusion 365 Works Cited 379 Index 411 This multi-disciplinary volume draws on the combined expertise of specialists in the history and literature of medieval Ireland, Iceland, Norway, and Scotland to shed new light on the interplay of Norse and Gaelic literary traditions. Through four detailed case-studies, which examine the Norwegian Konungs skuggsja, the Icelandic Njals saga and Landnamabok, and the Gaelic text Baile Suthach Sith Emhna, the volume explores the linguistic, cultural, and political contacts that existed between Norse and Gaelic speakers in the High Middle Ages, and examines the impetus behind these texts, including oral tradition, transfer of written sources, and authorial adaptation and invention. Crucially, these texts are not only examined as literary products of the thirteenth century, but also as repositories of older historical traditions, and the authors seek to explore these wider historical contexts, as well as analyse how and why historical and literary material was transmitted. The volume contains English translations of key extracts and also provides a detailed discussion of sources and methodologies to ensure that this milestone of scholarship is accessible to both students and subject-specialists.