In his Edda Snorri Sturluson quotes many stanzas attributed to Bragi Boddason the old (Bragi Boddason inn gamli), a 9th century court poet who served several Swedish kings, supposedly including Ragnar Lodbrok, Östen Beli and Björn at Hauge. Bragi was reckoned as the first skaldic poet, and was certainly the earliest skaldic poet then remembered by name whose verse survived in memory.
Snorri especially quotes passages from Bragi's Ragnarsdrápa, a poem composed in honor of the famous legendary Viking Ragnar Lodbrók ('Hairy-breeches') describing the images on a decorated shield which Ragnar had given to Bragi. The images included Thor's fishing for Jörmungandr, Gefjun's ploughing of Zealand from the soil of Sweden, the attack of Hamdir and Sorli against King Jörmunrekk, and the never-ending battle between Hedin and Högni.
The Landnámabók says that Bragi was married to Lopthœna the daughter of Erpr lútandi, another skald who served the Swedish king Eysteinn Beli. They were among the ancestors of the later skald Gunnlaugr ormstunga[1].
In the Landnámabók, Bragi is also invited to a visit by Ljúfvina, the wife of king Hjörr of Hörðaland, where he recognizes her dark skinned sons as the rightful heirs to their father's throne in place of a fair-skinned son of a thrall she had used to replace her progeny.
See also
- List of Icelandic writers
- Icelandic literature
- List of skalds
External links