Morkinskinna and the Icelandic telling of Norwegian royal history

Among Iceland’s remarkable literary treasures, Morkinskinna holds a distinctive place. Written early in the 13th century, it stands as an important account of Norwegian kings covering more than a century. The saga was compiled in Iceland around 1220, reflecting the country’s deep ties to royal histories across the North Atlantic.

An unusual manuscript and a fitting name

The title Morkinskinna, which can be rendered as “mouldy parchment”, originally referred to the condition of the physical book. Known as GKS 1009 fol., the manuscript was affected by damp and time, distinguishing it from other preserved texts. Today, this manuscript resides in the Royal Danish Library in Copenhagen, having been brought from Iceland to Denmark by Þormóður Torfason in 1662. At the time, Þormóður received the text from Bishop Brynjólfur Sveinsson at Skálholt and presented it to King Frederick III’s collection.

The text itself is a product of at least two hands, and although 37 leaves survive, it likely once contained about 53. Several portions are missing or incomplete, especially near the end, and some gaps can be filled with material from related manuscripts such as Flateyjarbók. Over the centuries, the name Morkinskinna came to refer not only to the physical book but also to this particular style of king saga.

Chronicles, verses and short tales

The scope of Morkinskinna starts in the 1020s and its surviving text continues through the reign of Sigurðr II, stopping abruptly in the middle of 1157. Earlier forms may have reached as far as 1177, in line with similar sagas. Its content weaves together thorough descriptions of each reign with a remarkable number of poetic verses. These stanzas, crafted in traditional Norse forms such as dróttkvætt and fornyrðislag, number over 300 and provide both artistic and documentary value.

One noted feature is the inclusion of many short tales about Icelanders, known as þættir. These narratives, especially plentiful in accounts of King Haraldr harðráði, reveal insights into Icelandic society and often stand out as literary gems. While some earlier scholars considered these tales later additions, more recent scholarship argues that they belong to the original work and play an integral role.

Morkinskinna draws from three main influences: continental court culture, the longstanding tradition of Norse court poets, and motifs from earlier king’s sagas. This blend situates the saga at a crossroads of oral storytelling, historical chronicle and emerging written literature.

Several editors and translators have made the saga accessible to modern readers, with the first English edition appearing in 2000 through the work of Theodore M. Andersson and Kari Ellen Gade. The saga’s enduring appeal lies not simply in its historic content but in the mix of drama, poetry and windows onto a distant past through the eyes of Icelandic writers.

TopicsIcelandic sagasMorkinskinnaNorwegian kingsOld Norse literatureRoyal Danish Library