Written in the 13th century but set in the Viking Age, Egils saga (Egla in Icelandic) is among the most distinctive of the family sagas that chronicle Iceland’s early history. Rather than focusing solely on Icelandic soil, its tale crosses the North Atlantic, capturing not just battles and migrations, but the fierce personalities of a founding clan whose temper and talent shaped legends.
From Norway to Iceland: exile and new beginnings
The saga begins around the year 850 in Norway, following Ulf, known as Kveldulf or “Evening Wolf”, and his descendants. Ulf gained land and fame from Viking raids, yet it was his surging temper and supposed shape-shifting traits that became family legends. Refusing to submit to King Harald Fairhair, who aimed to unite the Norwegian kingdoms, Kveldulf’s family ran afoul of royal wrath, culminating in the killing of his eldest son Thorolf at the king’s order. The survivors, Kveldulf and his son Skallagrim, fled to Iceland, setting Kveldulf’s coffin afloat and establishing a new home, Borg, where the coffin washed ashore.
Skallagrim raised two sons at Borg: Thorolf, named after his slain uncle, and Egill himself. Egill inherited not only his family’s physical strength and unpredictable behaviour but a gift for poetry, becoming a renowned skald even in childhood. He is said to have written his first verse at age three. His ferocity surfaced early as well: by age seven, Egill had killed a peer during Icelandic ball games, a violent act sometimes cited as a record for youth in Icelandic history.
Outlawry, feuds and the poet in exile
A recurring theme of Egils saga is perpetual conflict with authority. As adults, Egill and Thorolf journeyed across Scandinavia and England. In Norway, Egill’s confrontations with rulers led to his outlawry, and he frequently tested friendships and family loyalty. Notably, Egill’s relationship with his brother was marked by both rivalry and affection, and his friendship with Arinbjorn, a Norwegian chieftain, stood out in saga literature, though later Icelandic critics debated Egill’s gratitude towards him.
Egill’s poetry often played a vital role in his survival. When threatened with poison at a Norwegian feast, he performed a magical act, carving runes into his drinking horn and escaping death. Insults, poems and bold actions interweave throughout the saga as Egill traverses the worldview of the Norse, where wit and strength could shape destiny as much as weapons.
Service abroad and an enduring legacy
Egils saga reaches beyond Iceland, describing not only feuds but also military service abroad. Egill and Thorolf fought alongside King Æthelstan of England, possibly at the Battle of Brunanburh in 937, where Thorolf was killed. Egill’s abilities as a warrior and skald won him rewards, including chests of silver, and added layers to his character as both a mercenary and a man deeply shaped by personal loss.
Egill survived into old age, outliving many contemporaries, in itself a rarity for a Viking chief. He died near the end of the 10th century at Mosfell in Iceland, closing an era but cementing his saga as a cornerstone of Icelandic literary heritage.
While the true author of Egils saga remains uncertain, many scholars believe Snorri Sturluson, a 13th-century writer and chieftain, created the text. Stylistic similarities with Snorri’s other works reinforce this possibility, and debate on authorship endures among literary historians.
Egils saga, preserved in both ancient Icelandic and foreign manuscripts, carries a reputation for blending harsh realism with legendary exploits. Its enduring appeal lies in the vibrant depiction of family, vengeance, and creativity at the very dawn of Iceland’s story.
Sources
- Wikipedia
- Wikipedia (Icelandic) in Icelandic
