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Portrait of Þorgeir Ljósvetningagoði

Þorgeir Ljósvetningagoði

940 – 1001

Icelandic lawspeaker

LawspeakerGothi
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About Þorgeir Ljósvetningagoði

Lived 940 – 1001 (aged 60–61). Þorgeir Ljósvetningagoði was an Icelandic lawspeaker and gothi.

Thorgeir Ljosvetningagodi Thorkelsson ( ; Modern Icelandic: ; born c. 940) was an Icelandic jurist who served as a lawspeaker in Iceland's Althing from 985 to 1001.

In the year 999 or 1000, Iceland's legislative assembly was debating which religion they should practice: Norse paganism or Christianity. At this point, the population of Icelandic Christians had grown, though paganism still held the majority. Hallur of Sída, the lawspeaker on behalf of the Christians, left the decision to be made by Thorgeir. After his decision, Thorgeir himself converted to Christianity. Thorgeir's story is preserved in Ari Thorgilsson's Íslendingabók.

Yoav Tirosh, in his dissertation On the Receiving End, states that Thorgeir was paid three marks of silver by the Christian lawspeaker, and it is unclear whether this was a bribe.

According to legend, the Goðafoss waterfall derived its name after Thorgeir threw his statues of the Norse gods into the waterfall following his decision. However, this story is false and appears to have originated in the 1800s.

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Important facts

Born
940
Birth century
Died
1001
Occupation
Lawspeaker, gothi
Nationality
Also known as
Thorgeir Ljósvetningagodi

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Þorgeir Ljósvetningagoði's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Þorgeir Ljósvetningagoði?

Icelandic lawspeaker

When was Þorgeir Ljósvetningagoði born?

Þorgeir Ljósvetningagoði was born in 940.

When did Þorgeir Ljósvetningagoði die?

Þorgeir Ljósvetningagoði died in 1001.

What was Þorgeir Ljósvetningagoði's occupation?

Þorgeir Ljósvetningagoði was a lawspeaker and gothi.

What nationality was Þorgeir Ljósvetningagoði?

Þorgeir Ljósvetningagoði was Icelandic.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Þorgeir Ljósvetningagoði

· Wikidata: Q612285

· DBpedia: Thorgeir Ljosvetningagodi

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Þorgeir Ljósvetningagoði. https://biography.guide/thorgeir-ljosvetningagodi/

MLA: "Þorgeir Ljósvetningagoði." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/thorgeir-ljosvetningagodi/.

Chicago: "Þorgeir Ljósvetningagoði." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/thorgeir-ljosvetningagodi/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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