RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
A1 Doová, Lenka
T1 The Saga of King Sverri or History Is Written by the Victors
JF Historica Olomucensia
YR 2015
VO 49
IS 2
SP 13
OP 30
DO 10.5507/ho.2015.026
UL https://historica.upol.cz/artkey/hol-201502-0001.php
AB This study deals with the saga dedicated to King Sverre Sigurdsson, one of the most significant Norwegian rulers in the High Middle Ages. It is a unique source which was written in the order of the vanquisher, who, though originally a priest, obtained the Norwegian crown thanks to his military skills and became a founder of the dynasty bearing his name. Sverris saga, especially its first part that was created during the main protagonist's life, is critically examined. First and foremost, the article aims at arguments used by the author for propaganda or defence of Sverre's acts. The study attempts to answer whether it is possible to consider this narrative source to be an objective (auto)biography and whether King Sverre's arguments, which he employed to defend his title to the throne, could persuade a medieval reader about the rightfulness of his acts.