Óláfr Þórðarson (Old Norse: [ˈoːˌlɑːvz̠ˈθoːrðɑz̠ˌson]; Modern Icelandic: Ólafur Þórðarson[ˈouːˌlaːvʏrˈθourðarˌsɔːn]; c. 1205/1210 – 1259) was an Icelandicskald and scholar. He is usually called Óláfr hvítaskáld (O.N.: [ˈxwiːtɑˌskɑːld]; M.I.: [ˈkʰviːtaˌskault]; "Olaf the white skald") in contrast to a contemporary skald called Óláfr svartaskáld ("Olaf the black skald").[1] Óláfr was the paternal nephew of Snorri Sturluson and spent his youth in Snorri's home where he had an important part of his scholarly education. Particular important is his Grammatical Treatise. His father was Þórður Sturluson (c. 1165-April 10, 1237), his mother was Þóra “Yngri” Bjarnadóttir (c. 1165-1224) and he was the brother of Guttormur Thordarson (c. 1200-October 17, 1255), Böðvar Þórðarson (c. 1200-c. 1263), Halla Þórðardóttir (c. 1205-?), Thordur Thordarson (c. 1210-?), Valgerdur Thordardottir (1210-?), Gudrun Thordardottir (1210-?), Sturla Thordarson (July 29, 1214-July 30, 1284) and Ogmundur Thordurson (born btwn.1175-1235).
Back in Iceland, he was the island's lawspeaker from 1252 to 1256. He became a famous skald and composed poems about the three Scandinavian kings, which are partially included in the Knýtlinga saga, which he probably made from material he collected in Denmark. He died in 1259, aged around 48-54.
This article contains content from the Owl Edition of Nordisk familjebok, a Swedish encyclopedia published between 1904 and 1926, now in the public domain.
