Battle of Haugsnes

Part of Age of the Sturlungs

Date	19 April 1246
Location	Haugsnes, Iceland
Result	Sturlungar victory

Belligerents

Sturlungar

Ásbirningar

Commanders and leaders

Þórður Sighvatsson

Brandur Kolbeinsson †

Strength

~500

~600

Casualties and losses

~40

~70

The Battle of Haugsnes (Icelandic: Haugsnesbardagi) was fought at Haugsnes, a low peninsula south of Flugumýri in Skagafjörður, Northern Iceland. The battle was fought on April 19, 1246 between the forces of Þórður kakali Sighvatsson and those of Gissur Þorvaldsson. Þórður was victorious. It was the bloodiest battle ever to be fought in Icelandic history, with about 110 casualties in total, amongst them Brandur Kolbeinsson, chieftain of the Ásbirningar family clan. Defeat in battle lead to the end of power for the Ásbirningar.^[1]

The artist and farmer Sigurður Hansen of Kringlumýri has created a memorial for the battle at the site, consisting of more than 1100 boulders in battle order, each representing a combatant. Those who fell are marked with iron crosses.^[2]

References

Árni Daníel Júlíusson, Jón Ólafur Ísberg, Helgi Skúli Kjartansson Íslenskur sögu atlas: 1. bindi: Frá öndverðu til 18. aldar (Almenna bókafélagið, Reykjavík: 1989)

Age of the Sturlungs

Family clans	Sturlungar Ásbirningar Oddaverjar Haukdælir Vatnsfirðingar Svínfellingar

Goði chieftains	Snorri Sturluson Sighvatr Sturluson Sturla Sighvatsson Þórður kakali Sighvatsson Sturla Þórðarson Gissur Þorvaldsson Kolbeinn ungi Arnórsson Brandur Kolbeinsson Eyjólfur ofsi Þorsteinsson

Battles and conflicts	Battle of Víðines (1208) Battle of Örlygsstaðir (1238) Battle of the Gulf (1244) Battle of Haugsnes (1246) Flugumýri Arson (1253)

Politics	Haakon IV of Norway Hallvarður gullskór Vassalage Old Covenant Icelandic Commonwealth Jarldom Alþingi Goðorð

Coordinates: 65°50′00″N 23°15′00″W / 65.8333°N 23.25°W / 65.8333; -23.25

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