Saga - 2009, Qupperneq 147

því til að skerpa mörk hins veraldlega og andlega sviðs í íslensku
samfélagi um aldamótin 1200.
Deilur Guðmundar og kolbeins mögnuðust einnig á annan hátt,
sem sé þann að hvor um sig beitti af vaxandi þunga þeim félags-
legu þvingunaraðgerðum sem þeir réðu yfir. kom þar að þeir rufu
friðinn í samfélaginu með því að mynda tvær andstæðar fylkingar:
þá sem voru í banni Guðmundar og hina sem kolbeinn hafði gert
seka fyrir dómi. Virti hvorugur útilokun hins. Svo fór að þessum
fylkingum og fylgismönnum þeirra laust saman í Víðinesi hinn af -
drifaríka dag í september fyrir 800 árum. Lauk þar átökum þeirra
Guðmundar og kolbeins með hrapallegum hætti.
Abstract
hjalt i hugason
F I G H T I N G o V e R T H e C H U R C H - S TAT e R e L AT I o N S H I P
ecclesiastico-political aspects of the dispute between
Guðmundur Arason and kolbeinn Tumason
Guðmundur Arason, bishop at Hólar, and kolbeinn Tumason, a chieftain resid-
ing at Víðimýri farm, had a powerful impact on each other’s lives. It was at
kolbeinn’s behest that Guðmundur became bishop. This pushed Guðmundur
into lifelong conflict with the aristocracy — a conflict that ultimately cost kol -
beinn his life. While every major source about Guðmundur describes that dis-
pute, this article looks primarily to Íslendinga­saga, though also comparing it with
other sources. The cause of dispute is discussed, pointing out its ecclesiastico-
political basis.
Guðmundur adhered to the ecclesiastico-political policy of Pope Gregory
VII. The author has previously argued that Guðmundur worked in the spirit of
Gregorianism as it was formulated at the Abbey of Saint Victor in Paris during
the 12th century. The present article investigates whether that policy is reflected
in the dispute with kolbeinn, who sought to maintain the status quo charac-
terised by significant chieftain involvement in most aspects of the church.
Three areas of conflict may be identified in the dispute: methods for electing
bishops; authority over church property, i.e. the bishopric; and finally, the div -
ision of judiciary power and tasks between the church-educated and the laity.
Based on the Íslendinga­saga, it seems that the dispute over judiciary power was
the main bone of contention. Guðmundur went considerably further than Ice -
landic law and tradition provided for, seeking full jurisdiction in every case,
whether worldly or spiritual, that involved members of the clergy. At the same
átök um samband ríkis og kirkju 147
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