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Hallgerður Höskuldsdóttir
born: 940 at Höskuldsstaðir in Laxárdalur in Iceland
died: at Laugarnes in Reykjavík in Iceland
married: 975 Gunnar Hámundarson
Even as an child, Hallgerður was marked as evil. When her father asked his half-brother his thoughts about the child, the man replied that she was beautiful, but she had the eyes of a thief, one of the worst kinds of evil-doers in Viking society.
She grew up to be a woman of great beauty, tall with long hair, but impetuous, willfull, extravagant, and demanding. When Gunnar saw Hallgerður for the first time at Alþing, he was so taken by her that he asked for her hand in marriage the same day. Gunnar's close friend Njáll told him that Hallgerður's arrival in the district would cause nothing but trouble. He was right. Njáll's wife Bergþóra and Hallgerður became involved in an escalating series of tit-for-tat killings, which Njáll and Gunnar patched up through their close friendship.
During a time of famine, Hallgerður sent a slave to steal food from a neighboring farm. When Gunnar learned the truth about the abundant food on the table, he slapped Hallgerður in anger, since theft was considered a heinous crime in Viking society that brought dishonor onto the entire family.
Meanwhile, Gunnar's escalating feuds eventually caused him to be punished with lesser-outlawry. But he chose to ignore the punishment and stay at home, one possible response for a man who thought he was strong enough to withstand the pressure.
One night, Gunnar's enemies surrounded his house and attempted to force him out and kill him. Single-handedly, Gunnar was able to keep them at bay with his bow. The saga continues the story.
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At that moment Thorbrand Thorleiksson leaped up on the roof and cut through Gunnar's bow-string. By this time Gunnar had wounded eight men and killed two. He spoke to Hallgerd: "Give me two locks of your hair, and you and my mother twist them into a bowstring for me." "Does anything depend on it?" she said. "My life depends on it," he said, "for they'll never be able to get me as long as I can use my bow." "Then I'll recall," she said, "the slap you gave me, and I don't care whether you hold out for a long or a short time." "Everyone has some mark of distinction," said Gunnar, "and I won't ask you again." Brennu-Njáls saga, ch. 77 |
Gunnar was overcome by his enemies and was killed. Gunnar's mother treated Hallgerður so roughly for her evil deed that she nearly killed her daughter-in-law, and Hallgerður fled the house. But Hallgerður's evil ways and malicious tongue were not stopped. She continued to insult Njáll and his sons, fueling the feud between them and their enemies.
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©2013-2025 William R. Short |