Battle of Breiðabólstað

This battle, fought in 1221, is described in the Saga of the Icelanders.  The leaders of the two sides were Sæmund Jonsson and Bjorn Thorvaldsson. 

Both sides made great preparations in weapons and gear. Einar Gislason was at Breiðabólstað for some days repairing the weapons of Bjorn and his men. He was a friend of Loft; he said that he meant to be with Loft at the time agreed upon, and would do whatever harm he might to the others. As the day of meeting drew near, each side assembled its forces. With Loft were the three sons of Sæmund-Harald, Vilhjálm, and Andréas; the three sons of Þorstein Jónsson: Andréas, Amundi, and Cunnar. There were also Guðlaug from Þingvellir, the son of Eyjo1f Karsson, the brother of Keldna-Valgerð, his brother Ingibjorn, and Finn Þorgeirsson, his kinsman. Guðlaug was foremost among Loft's men as a leader and he had the best possible group of men, not less than one hundred.

Bjorn had with him seventy men; among them were Markus Marðarson down from Gnup and Pal from Steinsholt. Árni Magnusson had also come to stay the night. Bjorn and his men had prepared themselves south of the church, had laid heavy timbers in front of the posts which were at the juncture of the church porch and the main part of the church, and placed some others where the choir joined the main part of the church, south along the churchyard itself; they stationed themselves in the middle, some facing east, some west. When Loft rode into the home-meadow, he spoke this strophe:

Here rides Gryla
Down to the yard;
Holding their places,
Heroes fifteen.

They rang the bell for Mass as the men rode into the farmstead. 

Sæmund had come there from Oddi - they all sat there on horse back - and had over two hundred men with him. He sent men into the churchyard to say that all those men who would come to join his group, whether they did so sooner or later, would be given quarter. Furthermore, he especially offered quarter to Árni. But Árni said that he had eaten with Bjorn in the evening and that he would spend the day there.

Loft also asked, before they began the attack, whether there were any friends or kinsmen of Orm Svínfelling or of Snorri Sturluson, and said that quarter would be given to all of them.

Then Árni óreiða answered: "I see the hallmark of my family in this offer; still, I will not leave Bjorn at this moment."

Bjorn said that it wasn't yet clear which of them would have to issue the peace terms that day.

They now threw themselves into the fight and both sides had a hard time of it, for both fought long and vigorously. Loft came at them from the east, but Guðlaug from the west, straight against Bjorn's position. He wore a thick coat-of-mail and fought most valiantly. The defenders had gathered stones for themselves and these they now hurled at their opponents. Loft ordered his men not to throw them back again, but wait until their opponents ran out of stones. One of Loft's men died early on in the fighting. Bjorn was very tired from the defense and told Árni óreiða to defend both their positions vigorously while he went up into the churchyard and rested for a bit. Everyone, but especially Steingrím, held back a little from Árni during his defense. Bjorn took off his coat-of-mail, because he was hot; when he came back, Gu8laug ran forward and struck at Bjorn with his spear, which was called Grasiða, which Gisli Sursson was said to have owned. The point penetrated his throat and Bjorn turned back up to the church and sat down.

Guðlaug went to Loft and told him that Bjorn was wounded. Loft asked who had wounded him.

"Grasiða and I," he answered.

"How badly wounded is he?" asked Loft.

Guðlaug showed him his spear, which was bloody far up the blade; it seemed clear to them that it was a fatal wound. Loft was then asked whether they thought they ought to continue the attack, and he replied, "Just until Steingrím has his turn."

Then they made another vigorous attack; Steingrím defended himself bravely, but fell there. After that, many of the men ran from the churchyard to receive quarter from Sæmund's group, Markus and Pal among the first. Then it went very hard for Bjorn's men, because, when they had turned their backs, they were struck between the shoulders by stones from those who faced Loft's group, and couldn't strike the stones to the ground with their shields. Heðin the priest, and in all seven men, died there with Bjorn.

Árni óreiða laid Bjorn's body in the churchyard and asked Sæmund to receive his kinsman, saying, "Matters are now worse than before."

Kolskegg auðgi was there with Bjorn. And when he ran to Sæmund’s side to receive quarter, Andréas Þéorsteinsson struck him across the shoulders with the flat of his bare sword and asked him how high a price he'd pay now for a hundredweight of food.

"The market price," said Kolskegg.

Quarter was then given to all the men. Loft went to Sæmund, asked what assistance he would give them, and Saemund asked what he was expecting. Loft and his party said that they wished he would ride home to Oddi and keep his forces there. Loft himself with some others would then go to Skarð to stay until the Þing, where their following would come later to find out which side was the stronger. Sæmund was unwilling to do this; he said that he hadn't assembled his forces together to quarrel with his kinsman Þorvald. Loft and his men reproached them greatly before they parted; then Loft rode home with his troop.

From, Sturlunga Saga, edited by Julia H. McGrew (New York: The American-Scandinavian Foundation, 1970)

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