Njála – 95-97.
• Flosi, a powerful chieftain, is introduced. He has
a brother called Starkad, niece harsh-natured
Hildigunn, sons Thorgeir, Stein, Kolbein, Egil.
• Flosi’s father-in-law is goði Hall of Sida.
• Hoskuld is now grown; Njal suggests that he
marry Hildigunn Starkadsdottir. Flosi is willing,
but Hildigunn insists that she will only marry a
chieftain – goði (164).
• Njal asks for three years to find a chieftainship,
but no one wants to part with one. Njal schemes
to create a goðard for Hoskuld (165).
Njála – 97.
• Njal creates deadlock at the Althing, then proposes
the creation of a Fifth Court to handle appeals
from the four Quarter Courts (167).
• The Fifth Court will require new chieftains, which
allows Njal to provide Hoskuld with a goðard.
• The Fifth Court is a historical development in
Iceland at about this time (c. 1005 CE), but no
records indicate Njal was involved in its creation.
• Njal is granted a new chieftainship for Hoskuld –
now called Hoskuld Hvitanes-goði. His wedding
to Hildigunn is celebrated. Peace.
Njála – 98-99.
• Hoskuld, bastard son of Njal, rides past the
Sigfussons, and Lyting decides to break the
settlement, since he had been given no
compensation for Thrain, his brother-in-law (169).
• They leave Hoskuld for dead; his mother Hrodny
takes the corpse to Njal. She charges Skarp-Hedin
with wreaking vengeance for his step-brother (170)
• Njalssons pursue Lyting and kill his brothers, but
he escapes to Hoskuld Hvitanes-goði, whom he
begs to arrange a settlement (171): Njal gives hard
terms. This settlement was never broken.
Njála – 100.
• Conversion of Iceland to Christianity.
• This account based on that of Ari the Learned in
Islendingabok (c. 1130 CE). Olaf Tryggvason is
King of Norway and sends missionaries to Iceland.
• Njal himself approves of the new faith (172f.).
• Thangbrand the Missionary arrives – some shun
him, but others welcome him into their homes.
• Hall of Sida accepts Christianity in order to get the
Archangel Michael as his protector – apparently
stronger than Thor or Freyr! (173f.).
• Thangbrand uses crucifix in duel and wins (174)!
Njála – 101-102.
• Preliminary baptism – one “takes the sign of the
cross,” thus becoming acceptable to the church,
able to attend services, do business and trade with
Christians (174).
• Heathens hire Sorcerer-Hedin, to kill Thangbrand,
but he escapes the conjured chasm even though his
horse disappears (175).
• Veturlidi the Poet opposes the faith, so they kill
him and compose a poem about the slaying (175)!
• Njal and his family all become Christians, but
Mord Valgardsson and his family do not (175).
Njála – 102-104.
• At the Althing, Hjalti Skeggjason mocks the old
gods! (cite poem 177). He is outlawed from
Iceland for his blasphemy (179).
• Thangbrand debates the relative strengths of Thor
and Christ (177). Steinunn claims that it was Thor
who wrecked his ship – at least this poet seems to
have won a debate!
• Thangbrand challenges Otrygg the Berserkr to a
fire test – he fails, and Thangbrand and the others
happily kill him (178f.).
• Showdown at the Althing: threat of total violence.
Thingvellir
The Law Rock
Oxará
“Snorri’s booth”
Almanna Gorge
Njála – 105.
• Christians and Heathens debate at the Law Rock,
and the situation is desperate.
• Hall of Sida pays Lawspeaker Thorgeir the Goði
of Ljosavatn to proclaim what the law should be –
a risk, since Thorgeir is a heathen (181).
• Thorgeir sits with a cloak over his head for an
entire day; the next day he announces that all the
Icelanders must have one law, and be Christian
(cite 181).
• Private worship of old gods allowed for a time.
• Some heathen practices banned – exposing
children, eating horse flesh, worshipping idols.
Njála – 106-107.
• Amundi the Blind, illegitimate son of Hoskuld
Njalsson, asks Lyting for compensation for his
father Hoskuld, but is refused.
• After praying to God for justice (182), he is
miraculously able to see – and uses his sight to kill
Lyting! Whereupon he becomes blind again.
• Valgard the Grey, heathen, rebukes his son Mord
for his failures to maintain his stature – the new
chieftain Hoskuld Hvitanes-goði has taken their
former supporters (183).
• Valgard wants Mord to remain pagan, tells him
how to scheme against Hoskuld and the Njalssons.
Njála – 108-110.
• Mord Valgardsson, who organized the killing of
Gunnar (and who wanted to burn him), now
schemes to have the Njalssons destroy Hoskuld
and thus themselves.
• Mord’s lies have no effect on Hoskuld (185).
• Mord’s lies eventually have an effect on the
Njalssons (186).
• Flosi, Hoskuld’s father-in-law, foresees tragedy,
but Hoskuld takes no defensive measures.
• Mord’s lies lead the Njalssons to attack the
innocent Hoskuld – greatest tragedy of saga.
Death of Hoskuld
Njála – 111-115.
• Death of Hoskuld Hvitanes-goði – beautiful scene,
early morning in springtime (cite 188).
• Hoskuld offers forgiveness with his last breath.
• Njal is horrified at the news, sees the consequences
clearly: his death and that of all his family (188).
• Mord plays both sides against the other.
• Hildigunn the widow wipes the blood from her
dead husband and saves the bloody cloak.
• Many men want vengeance for the senseless
killing and entrust Flosi with the case: he trusts
Njal and would like to reach a peaceful settlement.
Njála – 116-120.
• Hildigunn goads Flosi to kill the Njalssons instead
of seeking financial compensation.
• When Flosi refuses, she brings out Hoskuld’s cloak
covered with his blood – he is outraged but has
little choice but to seek blood for blood (195).
• Flosi clearly sees the danger of blood vengeance,
but finds that he is compelled to kill (196).
• Both sides gather supporters and head to the
Althing; the Njalssons go from booth to booth to
gather support, but few are willing to help them
(198-205).
• Descriptions of Skarphedin at Althing! His insults!
Njála – 121-123.
• Mord’s devious role in the killing of Hoskuld has
been revealed–his role in the prosecution threatens
to invalidate the case against the Njalssons (206).
• Njal appeals to the assembly to grant him a
settlement (cite 207); Flosi accepts the offer.
• Arbitrators settle on triple compensation, or 600
ounces of silver for Hoskuld’s death. Peace??
• Njal’s friends help raise the amount, to which Njal
adds a silk cloak as a gift to seal the friendship.
• Flosi thinks the cloak is for a woman, and, feeling
personally insulted, rejects the settlement (210).
Njála – 124-128.
• Flosi & Sigfussons swear not to abandon the cause
“until one side or the other perishes” (211).
• Flosi is elected leader and plans the attack on the
Njalssons (212).
• Several visions and portents of disaster precede the
attack at Bergthorshvol.
• Flosi and his party approach the house secretly,
afraid to confront the Njalssons in the open.
• Njal insists that they defend themselves from
inside the house; Skarphedin know this is suicide,
but agrees to his father’s plan (218).
Njála – 128-129.
• The Burning of Njal and the Njalssons
• Flosi surrounds the house in order that no one
escapes – “otherwise it’s death for us” (218).
• They attack, but with little success – Flosi’s only
hope is to burn the house (cite 219).
• Njal provides Christian comfort amid the flames.
• Flosi allows servants, women and children to exit
the burning house.
• Flosi requests that elderly Njal and Bergthora leave
as well, but they both refuse (cite 221).
Njála – 129-130.
• The Burning of Njal and the Njalssons
• Njal and Bergthora go to bed with their little
grandchild, Thord Kari’s son (221).
• Kari leaps from a burning beam and escapes the
house without being noticed (cite 222f.).
• When Flosi hears of Kari’s escape, he knows the
Burners are doomed, for Kari will take vengeance.
• The Burners wait until the fire dies down, but are
afraid to go inside because they fear Skarphedin.
• They hear Skarphedin singing (cite 225).
• Flosi and the men flee quickly, fearing reprisal.
Njála – 130-136.
• Njal and Bergthora are recovered from the ruins,
bodies unmarked by the flames. A miracle (229).
• They find the body of Skarphedin, who had
branded himself with the sign of the cross (230)!
• Kari organizes his forces for an assault against the
Burners later that spring: anticipation of violence.
• Flosi has a dream of doom (232f.); gathers a large
force for the Althing.
• Kari manipulates Cowardly Mord to prosecute
Flosi and the Burners at the Althing (238f.).
• The tensions builds for a showdown at the Althing.
Njála – 137-144.
• The legal dispute at the Althing is complex and
technical; each side attempts to undermine the
other’s case with advice from lawyers.
• Flosi secretly switches his allegiance to another
chieftain, so that he now properly belongs in the
North Quarter – the case being argued in the East
Quarter court is thus invalid. Cheating (254).
• Mord and Thorhall then charge Flosi and Eyjolf
with bribery and procedural irregularities – charges
amounting to full outlawry (265).
• Mord makes his own procedural blunder, which is
cited as voiding the entire proceeding (269).
Njála – 145.
• Thorhall Asgrimson is so upset at the legal
trickery of Flosi and Eyjolf that he lances his boil
with Skarphedin’s spear, then goes to the Althing
and starts skewering people (270).
• The fighting becomes general. Flosi and the
Burners are forced to retreat. Much violence.
• Eyjolf the Crafty Lawyer is killed, and there is a
pause in the fighting; provisional truce at Althing.
• Through arbitrators, everyone agrees to reach a
settlement for the Burnings and the killings at the
Althing – all but Kari and Thorgeir (cite 276f.).
Njála – 146-150.
Kari’s Vengeance
• Kari and Thorgeir Skorar-Geir refuse settlement,
find the Sigfussons encamped and attack, killing 5
of the 15 Burners there (279f.).
• Hall of Sida mediates a settlement between
Thorgeir and the Burners (283), but Kari refuses.
• Kari stays with Bjorn the White of Mork and takes
him on his adventures – comic relief? (285).
• Flosi and many Burners leave for their exile, but
the Sigfussons go home – Kari hears of their
location and attacks (289f.), killing several.
Njála – 151-156.
• Kari and Bjorn the Braggart travel secretly and
attack more of the Burners – they kill three, but
spare his in-law Ketil of Mork (292).
• Flosi and followers set sail, but are shipwrecked in
the Orkneys and forced to rely on the hospitality
of the Earl – a friend of Njalssons (295f.).
• Kari sets to sea in pursuit of the Burners – arrives
in the Orkneys and kills Gunnar Lambason while
he is telling lies about Skarphedin (298). Flosi
does not pursue him, claims Kari acted honorably.
• The Icelanders become entangled in the Battle of
Clontarf in Ireland (23 April 1014).
Njála – 157-158.
• Battle of Clontarf
• Good King Brian with Christian Viking Ospak
• Ex-Queen Kormlod, Irish-Viking King Sigtrygg,
Earl Sigurd of Orkney, Pagan Viking Brodir
• King Brian wins the battle but is slain by the
Viking Sorcerer Brodir – who is killed by having
his intestines wrapped around a tree (303).
• Several of the Burners die in the battle.
• Heathen Imagery from Brian’s Saga – Poem of
the Valkyries (cite 303ff.).
• Kari finds Kol Thorsteinsson and kills him (309).
Njála – 158-159.
• Flosi pays for Kol’s funeral and never criticizes
Kari for the murder.
• Flosi travels to Rome, gets absolution from Pope,
and returns to Iceland after his 3-year-exile is over:
all the terms of his settlement are fulfilled (310).
• Kari also travels to Rome and receives absolution.
• Kari returns to Iceland, is shipwrecked and forced
to rely on the hospitality of Flosi. – see parallels
with Flosi in the Orkney Islands!
• Full reconciliation – Kari marries Hildigunn
Flosi’s niece, widow of Hoskuld Hvitanes-goði.