Saga - 2010, Page 93

milli skarðs og feykis 93
As the 12th century went on, the area in the middle of Skagafjörður, lying
between Vatnsskarð pass and Glóðafeykir mountain and including the meeting
places Vallalaug and Hestaþingshamar, gained importance while the more
northerly Hegranes assembly site gradually lost importance.
kolbeinn the young initially centred his power at Víðimýri but later at
Flugumýri. kolbeinn’s relatives and representatives were able to observe people's
movements through the middle of the region, watching from Víðimýri, Víðivellir
and Akrar, and look out for gatherings at Vallalaug. This arrangement clearly
allowed the Ásbirnings to strengthen their position and defend themselves polit-
ically.
The main conclusion of the article is that by about 1200, developments in over-
land transportation had started to determine where a chieftain chose to reside. In
all likelihood, the Ásbirnings' former location at Ás was primarily related to sea
travel and the assembly site in Hegranes. By the end of the 12th century, perspec-
tives had changed completely, with the area between Vatnsskarð and Glóðafeykir
assuming the greatest importance for travel, gatherings and assemblies. Since the
leaders of the Ásbirnings had by then become by far the most powerful persons in
Skagafjörður, the Hegranes spring assembly no longer mattered to them, and they
stationed themselves at Víðimýri, below Vatnsskarð, until kolbeinn the young
chose to make his home just across the valley at Flugumýri, below Glóðafeykir.
This trend was similar to that in Rangárþing, centred at Oddi in South Iceland; in
eyjafjörður, positioned by Sighvatur at Grund; and in Borgarfjörður, located by
Snorri at Reykholt. Further analogies include the central farms of Hruni in the
South and Sauðafell in the West, which also became centres of power.
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