author
Laurence Marcellus Larson
1868–1938
A Norwegian-born historian and translator, he helped bring medieval Scandinavian literature to English-language readers while building a long academic career in the American Midwest. His work ranged from Old Norse texts to broad studies of European and English history.
1 Audiobook
Canute the Great, 995 (circa)-1035, and the Rise of Danish Imperialism during the Viking Age
by Laurence Marcellus Larson
About the author
Born near Bergen, Norway, in 1868, Laurence Marcellus Larson later made his career in the United States as an educator, historian, writer, and translator. He became closely associated with the University of Illinois, where he taught history for many years and eventually led the department.
Larson is especially remembered for his work on medieval Scandinavia. One of his best-known achievements was an English translation of Konungs skuggsjá (The King's Mirror), an important Old Norse text, which helped introduce that tradition to a wider audience. He also wrote on European and English history, showing a range that went well beyond a single specialty.
His standing in the profession was high enough that he served as president of the American Historical Association in 1938, the year he died in Urbana, Illinois. For listeners drawn to older histories, Scandinavian studies, or scholars who connected European sources with American classrooms, his career offers an interesting bridge between worlds.