Sturla Þórðarson

Born in 1214, Sturla Þórðarson was an Icelandic chieftain, lawman, poet, and historian during one of the most turbulent periods in Icelandic history. He was part of the influential Sturlung family and was the nephew and pupil of Snorri Sturluson, one of the best-known writers of medieval Iceland.

Sturla is best remembered for his historical writing. He is closely associated with Íslendinga saga, the most substantial part of Sturlunga saga, which gives a detailed account of the violent power struggles of 13th-century Iceland. He also wrote kings' sagas, including works on King Hákon Hákonarson and King Magnús of Norway, bringing together political insight and a strong storyteller's eye.

Because he lived through many of the events he described, Sturla's work has unusual immediacy. His writing is one of the main reasons modern readers can still follow the lives, feuds, and shifting alliances of medieval Iceland with such clarity.