2014Sturla Thordarson – 800th Anniversary - Set

Sturla Þórðarson (1214-1284) was a chieftain, a poet and an historian. The main sources on his life are to be found in the Saga of Icelanders which he himself composed. He was one of the most powerful men in Iceland and witnessed many of the dramatic events that he later described. Sturla was the nephew of Snorri Sturluson. After Snorri‘s execution in 1241 Sturla became the one of the most influential leaders of the Sturlungs who sought his advice and support. His power base was mainly around Breiðafjörður in the west. Sturla wrote about the two main battles in the Age of the Sturlungar: the battle of Örlygsstaðir 1238, in which he himself participated, and the burning of Flugumýri in 1253.