Snorri Sturluson

Born in Iceland in 1179, Snorri Sturluson became one of the most important writers of the Middle Ages. He was not only a poet and historian but also a powerful chieftain involved in the island’s turbulent politics.

He is best known for works linked to the Prose Edda and Heimskringla, texts that preserved Norse mythology and the histories of Norwegian rulers. Because so much of what survives about the old Norse gods comes through these writings, his influence reaches far beyond Iceland and into modern literature, history, and fantasy.

Snorri’s life ended violently in 1241, when he was killed at his home in Reykholt. Even so, the stories and traditions connected with his name have made him one of the central literary figures of medieval Scandinavia.