Studia Islandica - 01.06.1960, Side 27

25
The other three men are referred to in the Islendingá-
bók, Petrus, Abraham, and Stephanus, and said to be
ermskir. In a Register of Bishops, written about 13603
there is the following sentence: Enn váru þrír, ok sögð-
iist biskupar vera, af Armenialandi, Petrus, Stephanus,
Abraham. (“There were three others who claimed to be
bishops from Armenialand — Petrus, Stephanus, Abra-
ham.”) This is the oldest reference to them as Armen-
ians. The adjective ermskr is, according to this source,
derived from Armenialand or Ermland. Armenia is call-
ed Emdand in Alfræði islenzk, I, p. 7 and 25, or Erm-
land hit mikla (Great Armenia). The Hauksbók, p. 154,
referring to these areas as Armenia and Ermland hit
mikla, is in agreement with the Alfræði. According to
this, the three bishops would have originated from the
plateau of Asia Minor.
Now, there is another Ermland much closer. The
Hauksbók, p. 155, has a list of countries as follows:
“Near Rus (Garðaríki) there are the following coun-
tries: Kirjálir, Refalir, Tafeistaland, Virland, Eistland
(Eastonia), Livland (Livonia), Kúrland, Ermland, Pú-
linaland; Vindland is farthest to the west near Den-
mark.” This list is very much like one that appears in
the later version of the Örvar-Odds Saga, Chapter 30:
“There was a great army from Kirjálalandi, Rafestaland,
Refalaland, Virland, Eistland, Lífland, Vitland, Kúrland,
Lánland, Ermland, and Púlínaland.” This was an army
mustered by King Kvillanus of Novgorod. Now, we may
assume that the Fomaldarsögur (The Icelandic Heroic
Sagas) reflect the geographical knowledge of their
authors, as may be seen if the HauJcsbók is compared
with the Örvar-Odds Saga. The author of the Hauksbök,
however, is clearly more accurate. If we assume that,
at any given time, writers try to follow current know-
ledge of geography as far as they can, the following
quotations from the Göngu-Hrólfs Saga, Chapters 3, 28,