Þórvaldr Hjaltason (Old Norse: [ˈθoːrˌwɑldz̠ ˈhjɑltɑˌson]; Modern Icelandic: Þorvaldur Hjaltason [ˈθɔrˌvaltʏr ˈçal̥taˌsɔːn]) was a late 10th-century Icelandic skald in the service of the Swedish king Eric the Victorious.

He is listed in Skáldatal as in Eric's service. Styrbjarnar þáttr Svíakappa recounts that he took part in the Battle of the Fýrisvellir against Styrbjörn the Strong and in response to the king's call for verses commemorating the victory, composed in dróttkvætt the following two lausavísur:[1]

These are the only verses attributed to him; the tale says that he received a ring worth half a mark for each verse, and that he is not known to have composed any other verses, either before or after.[4][5] He may have brought the news of the battle back to Iceland.[6]

He may be the same person as the Þorvaldr Hjaltason who is mentioned with his brother Þórðr in Landnamabók and a number of Sagas of Icelanders, but that Þorvaldr is not said to be a skald.[7]

References

  1. ↑ Rudolf Simek and Hermann Pálsson, Lexikon der altnordischen Literatur, Kröners Taschenausgabe 490, Stuttgart: Kröner, 1987, ISBN 3-520-49001-3, p. 365 (in German).
  2. ↑ Guðbrandur Vigfússon and Frederick York Powell, Corpus Poeticum Boreale, Volume 2, Clarendon–Oxford University, 1883, OCLC 1123690834, p. 62.
  3. ↑ Finnur Jónsson, Den norsk-islandske skjaldedigtning, Volume B1, Copenhagen: Gyldendal, 1912, OCLC 1068792810, p. 111. Note: Finnur Jónsson did not amend hundmargs to Hundings..
  4. ↑ Þáttr Styrbjarnar Svía kappa, ch. 2, text from Fornmanna Sögur Volume 5, Copenhagen: Kongelige Nordiske Oldskriftselskab, 1830. (in Old Norse).
  5. ↑ Vigfússon and York Powell, p. 61.
  6. ↑ Jan de Vries, Altnordische Literaturgeschichte, Volume 2, Grundriß der germanischen Philologie 16, 2nd ed. Berlin: de Gruyter, 1967, p. 303 (in German).
  7. ↑ Diana Whaley, "Þorvaldr Hjaltason", Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages, retrieved 7 April 2021.
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