Gripla - 2019, Blaðsíða 226

GRIPLA226
V-VI. Having returned to a more historical narrative of Guðbrandur’s
life the author becomes less speculative. We hear of the bishop’s mental
and physical endowments, of his accomplishments not only in theology
but also in mathematics, astronomy, cartography, carpentry and the art of
printing. Physically he was a very strong man and for a long time he was
in good health, until he developed a slight tremor in his forty-third year.
When he was thirty an event of the utmost importance occurred in his
private life. He married the honourable virgin Halldóra Árnadóttir (1547–
1585), whose father Árni gíslason (–1587), the sheriff of Hlíðarendi in
South Iceland, was one of the wealthiest and most powerful men in Iceland
at that time. Through this marriage Guðbrandur formed a relationship
with a large family which for generations played a dominant role among
the Icelandic aristocracy. The marriage was a happy one, and it was a severe
blow to the bishop when his wife died in childbirth in 1585 leaving him
four children. Only three lived to a mature age: a son Páll Guðbrandsson
(1573–1621), later sheriff, and two daughters, Halldóra Guðbrandsdóttir
(1574–1658), and Kristín Guðbrandsdóttir (1576–1652) who married the
sheriff Ari Magnússon (1571–1652). Guðbrandur Þorláksson never mar-
ried again, but enjoyed to the very end of his life the comforting presence
and support of his unmarried daughter Halldóra, who, as we shall see later,
became a most influential member of the household at Hólar.
VII. Although Guðbrandur Þorláksson was not born with a silver
spoon in his mouth, he soon became a man of means and always kept a vig-
ilant eye on his own interests. Nevertheless, he did not refrain from spend-
ing money when the purpose could be described as a good and Christian
one, as when he supported people from his own means. His most remark-
able act of munificence, according to the author, was when he acquired an
old printing machine, the only one in Iceland, had it repaired, and began
printing religious books in Icelandic. These were often translated by him
or other qualified people, as the need of such books was sorely felt in the
country. The bishop was deeply involved in this work at its various stages;
and gradually this enterprise turned out to be one of the major achieve-
ments of the period, promoting the Lutheran religion in Iceland and at the
same time preserving the Icelandic language. The climax of this flourishing
activity was reached as early as 1584, when an Icelandic translation of the
whole Bible emerged from the Hólar press, for which the bishop received