The Orkneyinga Saga is the history of the Earls of Orkney which was written anonymously by an Icelandic author. It was originally published in the 1200s but has since been translated by Hermann Pálsson and Paul Edwards. Joseph Anderson served as the saga’s editor when it was published again in 1981 by Penguin Classics.
Set in Orkney, Scotland, the saga features characters like Thorfinn Sigurdsson, Harald Hárfagri, Sigurd Hlodvirsson, Sigurd Eysteinsson among others. The Orkneyinga Saga blends history, mythical tales, and legend into one gripping work that summarizes a society lost in time.
The saga tells the story of a time when the Orkney island was still inhabited by Vikings, just as the Kingdom of Norway was on the brink of conquering the island in the 9th century. The history of the Earldoms, Norsemen, Sigurd, martyr, and conquerors are told in a poetic, powerful, and magnificent form.
The Orkneyinga Saga paints the picture of a time when battles, violence, and murder were glorified as they were viewed as the only form of great honor and pride for the kingdom. The society lacked democratic forms of governance and leaned more on a feudal system of rule. Thus, violence was rampant and went unchecked.
Christianity plays a significant role in providing spiritual guidance and balance in the kingdom. The saga stands on its own as the only known story set in Orkney, Scotland, which stands as a great pillar in the field of medieval sagas.
