Studia Islandica - 01.06.1937, Side 49

SUMMARY.
The Oddaverjar are among the most mighty of the aristo-
cratic families of Iceland during the ancient period. They are
powerful and wealthy, noble-minded, humane and cultured. The
man who laid the foundation of their power was the priest Sæ-
mund Sigfússon the learned (f 1133). His grandson was Jón
Loftsson (f 1197), the greatest chieftain of his time, of whom
it has been said that the was uncrowned King of Iceland. With
him the power of the Oddaverjar came to its zenith. Among
his sons are Sæmund (f 1222), Pál the Bishop (f 1214) and
Orm (f 1218), all of them outstanding men. Sæmund inherited
Oddi and was leader of the family, but he lacksi the restrained
power of his father. The later Oddaverjar are peaceful men,
unwilling to coneern themselves with the affairs of others. They
have not the ambition of their earlier kinsmen and other fami-
lies come much more into prominence during the last half
century of the republic.
Already in the days of Jón Loftsson they had all the power
they were ever to attain. They lived at Oddi in Rangárveilir
and held the goðorð of all Rangárþing. In addition to this,
however, Jón had liegemen in distant parts of the country. At
the alþingi there was no one whose word carried so much weight
as his, but his task was generally that of restoring peace be-
tween others. Financially they were in a sound position. Of
greatest importance in those days was the property of well
endowed churches which, in accordance with Olc^ Icelandic law,
might be held by the laity. Jón was the owner of the church at
Oddi, with the exception of the Bishops’ seats and the monas-
teries the wealthiest foundation in the whole country. Besides
this he owned Höfðabrekka and Keldur, while his sons were
owners of Ytra-Skarð, Gunnarsholt and Breiðabólstað, and