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Sighvatr Sturluson

1170 – 1238

Poet

SkaldPoet
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About Sighvatr Sturluson

Lived 1170 – 1238 (aged 67–68). Sighvatr Sturluson was an Icelandic skald and poet.

Sighvatr Sturluson (; given name also Sigvatr, ; , ; – 1238) was a skaldic poet, goði and member of the Icelandic Sturlungar clan. His parents were Sturla Þórðarson of Hvammur and Guðný Böðvarsdóttir. His younger brother, the famous poet and historian Snorri Sturluson, grew up away from home, in Oddi, while Sighvatr and his elder brother Þórð(u)r were brought up in Hvammur. Nothing is known about his education. He married Kolbeinn Tumason’s sister Halldóra Tumadóttir, with whom he had a son, Sturla Sighvatsson.

He figures in the Sturlunga saga, one of the sources which cites his poetry. Only two stanzas of Sighvatr's work now remain: the first refers to the killing of Hallr Kleppjárnsson by Kálfr Guttormsson in 1212, the other to a dream before his death in the Battle of Örlygsstaðir in 1238.

According to philologist Roberta Frank, a half-stanza by Sighvatr was misinterpreted, and thus becoming the belief in the Blood eagle ritual.

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Important facts

Born
1170
Birth century
Died
1238
Occupation
Skald, poet
Nationality

People in Sighvatr Sturluson's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Sighvatr Sturluson's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Sighvatr Sturluson?

poet

When was Sighvatr Sturluson born?

Sighvatr Sturluson was born in 1170.

When did Sighvatr Sturluson die?

Sighvatr Sturluson died in 1238.

What was Sighvatr Sturluson's occupation?

Sighvatr Sturluson was a skald and poet.

What nationality was Sighvatr Sturluson?

Sighvatr Sturluson was Icelandic.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Sighvatr Sturluson

· Wikidata: Q3480327

· DBpedia: Sighvatr Sturluson

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Sighvatr Sturluson. https://biography.guide/sighvatr-sturluson/

MLA: "Sighvatr Sturluson." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/sighvatr-sturluson/.

Chicago: "Sighvatr Sturluson." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/sighvatr-sturluson/.

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