Seen through the lens of Icelandic history and myth, the figure of Eiríkur Magnússon from Vogsósar stands out as a character who bridges the worlds of religion, legend and sorcery. Although rooted in the historical record as a parish priest, Eiríkur’s reputation is most widely known from the many stories that swirl around his name.
Between church and enchantment
Eiríkur was born around 1638 and passed away in 1716. He grew up in southwest Iceland, learning from notable clergy including Jón Daðason, himself known for knowledge of magic. Eiríkur attended the Cathedral School at Skálholt until roughly 1658, a centre of learning and clerical training. He was ordained by Bishop Brynjólfur Sveinsson and served first as curate at Arnarbæli in 1668, later becoming parish priest at Selvogur’s church in 1677, a position he held until his death.
Yet the facts of his clerical life only tell part of the story. In the collective memory of the Icelandic people, Eiríkur is equally known as “Eiríkur í Vogsósum”, a collector and sometimes a wielder of magical knowledge. His home, the farm at Vogsósar, and his long service in Selvogur parish provided the backdrop for many fantastic tales.
Legends born in hardship and imagination
One story recalls his supposed rescue of a woman taken by trolls, a common motif in Icelandic fantasy. Another tale linked to Eiríkur speaks to the harshness of rural life: Guðrún, a poor woman unable to repay a debt, loses her cooking pot to a creditor. After her death, she returns as a ‘draugr’, the Icelandic ghost, and Eiríkur intervenes with ritual objects to bring the haunting to an end, showing both his ingenuity and his compassion.
Students of folklore note further stories, including Eiríkur’s youthful pursuit of magical learning. With two companions, he is said to have raised a spirit in a churchyard to recover pieces of a spellbook. Their efforts led to the creation of a grimoire called Gráskinna, full of arcane symbols. Years later, a bishop quizzes him on the spells within. Eiríkur professes ignorance before later revealing he knew almost all the entries, suggesting both modesty and mystery at the heart of his legend.
Popular tales often cast Eiríkur as benevolent, using knowledge for the benefit of others rather than personal gain. His reported magical duels with Stokkseyrar-Dísa, another folkloric sorcerer, further cement his place in Iceland’s tapestry of legends, where the boundaries of church authority and ancient supernatural traditions weave together.
Sources
- Wikipedia
- Wikipedia (Icelandic) in Icelandic
