the complete heimskringla (royal collector’s edition) (case laminate hardcover with jacket)

The Complete Heimskringla is a collection of sagas about Swedish and Norwegian kings, beginning with the saga of the legendary Swedish dynasty of the Ynglings, followed by accounts of historical Norwegian rulers from Harald Fairhair of the 9^th century up to the death of the pretender Eystein Meyla in 1177. The stories are told with a life and freshness, giving a picture of human life in all its reality. The saga is a prose epic, relevant to the history not only of Scandinavia but the regions included in the wider medieval Scandinavian diaspora.

Up until the mid-19^th century, historians put great trust in the factual truth of Snorri’s narrative, as well as other old Norse sagas. In the early 20^th century, this trust was largely abandoned with the advent of saga criticism. Historians pointed out that Snorri’s work had been written several centuries after most of the events it describes. Heimskringla has, however, continued to be used as a historical source, though with more caution.

This case laminate collector’s edition includes a Victorian inspired dust-jacket.