Thorgeir Ljosvetningagodi

This is an Icelandic name. The last name is patronymic, not a family name; this person is referred to by the given name Thorgeir, or with his title as Thorgeir Ljosvetningagodi.

Thorgeir Ljosvetningagodi Thorkelsson (Old Norse: Þorgeirr Ljósvetningagoði Þorkelsson [ˈθorˌɡɛirː ˈljoːsˌwetneŋɡɑˌɡoðe ˈθorˌkelsˌson]; Modern Icelandic: Þorgeir ... [ˈθɔrˌceir ˈljousˌvɛhtniŋkaˌkɔːðɪ ˈθɔrˌcʰɛlsˌsɔːn]; born c. 940) was an Icelandic jurist who served as a lawspeaker in Iceland's Althing from 985[1] to 1001.

In the year 999 or 1000, Iceland's legislative assembly was debating which religion they should practice: Norse paganism or Christianity. At this point, the population of Icelandic Christians had grown, though paganism still held the majority.[2] Hallur of Sída, the lawspeaker on behalf of the Christians, left the decision to be made by Thorgeir.[2] Thorgeir, himself a pagan priest and chieftain (a gothi), decided in favour of Christianity after a day and a night of silent meditation under a fur blanket[2], thus averting potentially disastrous civil conflict. Under the compromise, pagans could still practice their religion in private and several of the old customs were retained.[2][3] After his decision, Thorgeir himself converted to Christianity. Thorgeir's story is preserved in Ari Thorgilsson's Íslendingabók.[4]

Yoav Tirosh, in his dissertation On the Receiving End, states that Thorgeir was paid three marks of silver by the Christian lawspeaker, and it is unclear whether this was a bribe.[5]

According to legend, the Goðafoss waterfall derived its name after Thorgeir threw his statues of the Norse gods into the waterfall following his decision.[6][7] However, this story is false and appears to have originated in the 1800s.[8]

References

  1. ^ Poole, Russell (2006). "Counsel in action in Hrafnkels saga". In McKinnell, John; Ashurst, David; Kick, Donata (eds.). The Fantastic in Old Norse/Icelandic Literature: Preprint Papers of the 13th International Saga Conference, Durham and York 6th-12th August 2006. Vol. I–II. Durham: Centre for Medieval and Renaissance Studies. Retrieved 2026-01-28.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: publisher location (link)
  2. ^ a b c d Gíslason, Jónas (1990-01-01). "Acceptance of Christianity in Iceland in the year 1000 (999)". Scripta Instituti Donneriani Aboensis. 13: 223–255. doi:10.30674/scripta.67178. ISSN 2343-4937. Archived from the original on 2018-04-17.
  3. ^ Gjerset, Knut (1924). History of Iceland. New York: Macmillan Inc. p. 63. Archived from the original on 2021-07-17.
  4. ^ "Thorgeir Ljosvetningagodi - Conversion to Christianity". The Saga Museum. Archived from the original on 2025-04-02. Retrieved October 31, 2015.
  5. ^ Tirosh, Yoav (2019). On the receiving end: the role of scholarship, memory, and genre in constructing Ljósvetninga saga. Reykjavík. pp. 88–90. ISBN 978-9935-9491-2-7. Archived from the original on 2026-01-29. There is a lack of clarity in the sources and in scholarship regarding whether or not this was a bribe.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  6. ^ "Goðafoss Waterfall Declared Protected". Iceland Monitor. 2020-06-12. Archived from the original on 2025-01-20. Retrieved 2026-01-28.
  7. ^ Askham, Poppy (2020-06-12). "Iceland's Goðafoss Waterfall Granted Protected Status". The Reykjavik Grapevine. Archived from the original on 2024-06-16. Retrieved 2026-01-28.
  8. ^ Sigmundsson, Svavar (2015-06-29). "Er það rétt að Þorgeir Ljósvetningagoði hafi hent goðum í Goðafoss?". Vísindavefurinn (in Icelandic). Archived from the original on 2025-01-15. Retrieved 2026-01-28.
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