Einarr þambarskelfir Eindriðason — EþskI
skaldsVol. 1, 451 — — ed. Kari Ellen Gade
Poetry
Biography
Kari Ellen Gade 2012, ‘(Biography of) Einarr þambarskelfir Eindriðason’ in Diana Whaley (ed.), Poetry from the Kings’ Sagas 1: From Mythical Times to c. 1035. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 1. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 451.
Einarr þambarskelfir ‘Paunch-shaker’ (?) Eindriðason (Eþsk; c. 987-1051/52) was one of the most powerful Norwegian district chieftains of his time. At the age of thirteen, he participated in the naval battle of Svǫlðr (c. 1000), fighting alongside King Óláfr Tryggvason on Óláfr’s ship, the famous Ormr inn langi (‘the Long Serpent’). Subsequently, he served as the adviser and regent to Óláfr Haraldsson’s young son, Magnús inn góði ‘the Good’ (r. 1035-47). After Magnús’s death, Einarr became a district chieftain of King Haraldr harðráði ‘Hard-rule’ Sigurðarson, but their relationship turned sour (see Hharð Lv 6-7II). Eventually Einarr and his son Eindriði were ambushed and killed by King Haraldr and his men in Trondheim, c. 1051/52. The meaning of Einarr’s nickname þambarskelfir is possibly ‘Paunch-shaker’, but has been much debated: see Gade (1995b), Gade (1995c), Sayers (1995) and Liberman (1996). Other than the couplet below, no poetry is attributed to Einarr.
References
- Bibliography
- Gade, Kari Ellen. 1995b. ‘Einarr Þambarskelfir’s Last Shot’. SS 67, 153-62.
- Gade, Kari Ellen. 1995c. ‘Einarr Þambarskelfir, Again’. SS 67, 547-550.
- Liberman, Anatoly. 1996. ‘Gone with the Wind: More Thoughts on Medieval Farting’. SS 68, 98-104.
- Sayers, William. 1995. ‘The Honor of Guðlaugr Snorrason and Einarr Þambarskelfir: A Reply’. SS 67, 536-47.
- Internal references
- Diana Whaley 2012, ‘(Biography of) Óláfr Tryggvason’ in Diana Whaley (ed.), Poetry from the Kings’ Sagas 1: From Mythical Times to c. 1035. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 1. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 383.
- Kari Ellen Gade (ed.) 2009, ‘Haraldr harðráði Sigurðarson, Lausavísur 6’ in Kari Ellen Gade (ed.), Poetry from the Kings’ Sagas 2: From c. 1035 to c. 1300. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 2. Turnhout: Brepols, pp. 47-8.
other information
Einarr þambarskelfir Eindriðason (Eþsk)
volume 1
main editor: Kari Ellen Gade