Þingeyrar monastery

The monastery in Þingeyrar was established in the year 1133 and thereby became the first monastery to get rooted in Iceland. The monastery was operated until 1551 when it was closed down in the light of the reformation. The monastery church was likely used for half a century after the monastery was closed. Þingeyrar was for a long time one of the richest lands in Iceland but the monastery also served an important role in the literary tradition of Icelanders during the medieval period.

Summary for Þingeyrar monastery and its abbots

  • 1133-1148. Abbot: Vilmundur Þórólfsson. Vilmundur was the student of Bishop Jón Ögmundsson at Hólar.
  • ?-1158. Abbot: Nikulás Sæmundsson. It is uncertain when Nikulás became inducted, but he had already become an abbot by the year 1153.
  • A fire at Þingeyrar. The monastery was rebuilt the same year or the year after.
  • 1158-1161. Abbot: Ásgrímur Vestliðason. Died in office.
  • 1162-1166. Abbot: Þorbjörn. Little is known about Þorbjörn other than that he is mentioned in Haukur Erlendsson’s list of abbots. Two monks are also mentioned there, Ögmundur and Rimbegla.
  • 1166-1168. Abbot: Hreinn Styrmisson. He was one of the students of Bishop Jón. He had two daughters, Valdís and Þorbjörg with Hallbera Hrafnsdóttir. Was appointed abbot in Hítardalur. He died in Hítardalur in the year 1177.
  • 1169-1181. Abbot: Karl Jónsson. Resigned in 1181 and stayed thereafter with Sverrir, the king of Norway.
  • 1181-1187. Abbot: Kári Runólfsson. He was the son of Runólfur, a monk at Helgafell. He died in office.
  • 1187-1207. Abbot: Karl Jónsson. After coming back from Norway, he wrote the history of King Sverrir. Oddur Snorrason and Gunnlaugur Leifsson were then monks at the monastery and wrote the story of King Ólafur Tryggvason both in latin and old norse. Karl died in either 1212 or 1213.
  • 1207-1253. Abbot: Þórarinn Sveinsson. Was abbot for over four decades and until his death. Styrmir Kárason was a monk there until he became and abbot in Viðey.
  • 1254-1279. Abbot: Vermundur Halldórsson. During the time of Vermundur, Bishop Jörundur Þorsteinsson took tithes from the monastery which Jón Ögmundsson is supposed to have given to the monastery. Hafliði priest at Breiðabólsstaður was a student of Vermundur and later became the household manager at Þingeyrar.
  • 1280-1299. Abbot: Bjarni Ingimundarson. Was thought to be so holy that church bells clung automatically.
  • 1300-1309. Abbot: Höskuldur. Died in 1309 during a plague.
  • 1309-1338. Abbot. Guðmundur. Nephew of Abbot Höskuldur. Cared deeply for the interests of the monastery, both financially and the education which took place within it. The monk, Lárentíus studied under the guidance of Guðmundur and later became a bishop. Guðmundur became a monk at Munkaþverá in the year 1337 but died a year later. His body was moved back to Þingeyrar and buried there. Guðmundur had disagreements with the bishops at Hólar, first Auðunn and then Lárentíus because of the tithes which had been taken from the monastery. Guðmundur appealed the case to the archbishop in Norway and stayed there for two years to follow up the case. During Guðmundur’s time, he had the monastery church enlarged in 1315and got new livery, books and bells for it. The church was blessed by bishop Auðunn.
  • 1340-1341. Abbot: Björn Þorsteinsson. Was an abbot at Munkaþverá before he moved to Þingeyrar.
  • 1341-134. Supervisor: Þorgeir prior. Was a supervisor while there was no abbot.
  • 1344-1345. Abbot: Eiríkur bolli Þorsteinsson. Bishop Ormur Ásláksson removed Eiríkur from position because of unknown reasons only a year after he was put in position.
  • 1345-1350. Abbot: Stefán. Was an abbot at Munkaþverá before moving to Þingeyrar.
  • 1350-1361. Abbot: Arngrímur Brandsson. Used to be a priest at Oddi and then a simple monk at Þingeyrar. He was accused of bad things and was made to leave. He then moved to Björgvin in Norway and became a monk there. He was then appointed as an abbot again after the church administration in Iceland had been investigated. Arngrímur wrote the story og Bishop Guðmundur Arason and wrote a poem about him.
  • 1364-1385. Abbot: Gunnsteinn. During his time in office, the monastery was gifted the land Hæll for giving salvation and grave placement.
  • 1385-1402. Abbot: Sveinbjörn Sveinsson. Died in a plague which only one monk survived.
  • 1402?-1424. Supervisor: Sr. Jón Þorfinnson. Is thought to have been the most likely to take position as an supervisor when there was no abbot in the monastery after the plague.
  • 1424-1431. Abbot: Ásbjörn Vigfússon. Is thought to have been among the most notable clergymen in Iceland during his time.
  • 1436-1488. Abbot: Jón Gamlason. Was among the most notable priests of Northern Iceland before becoming a monk. Judged Ytri-ey to the monastery because he thought that it had been illegally sold when Ásbjörn was the supervisor.
  • 1488-1495. Abbot: Ásgrímur Jónsson. Was a monk at Þingeyrar. Was responsible for the acquisition of many lands. His sister, Agnes became a reverend mother at Reynistaður. He died during the plague of 1494-1495.
  • 1495-1514. Abbot: Jón Þorvaldsson. He was the nephew of Ásgrímur and a household manager for his aunt at Reynistaður for a while. Was charged for having prime signed a child that was not christened as well as having performed a mass over Ólafur Bjarnasyni without permission. For this he was fined. He later was responsible for the marriage of his sister Björg and Jón Sigmundsson but they were cousins. This caused a court case in which the siblings reverend mother Agnes and abbot Ásgrímur became involved.
  • 1515-1516. Abbot: Eiríkur Sumarliðason. Was a priest at Saurbær in Eyjafjörður and a household manager at Hólar. Stood in conflict because of Grundareignir.
  • 1516-1544. Abbot: Helgi Höskuldsson. Conflicted with bishop Jón Arason on various occasions. Jón made Helgi walk three times to Rome to penance.
  • 1544-1550. Supervisor: Björn Jónsson. Was the son of bishop Jón Arason. Was beheaded along with his father in the year 1550.
  • The monastery closed. A german barber and syphilis doctor, Henrik Gerksen Hannesson became the household manager in the authority of the king soon after the monastery closed. It is uncertain who was the first one to be the household manager after the monastery closed.