Steinvör Sighvatsdóttir facts for kids

Steinvör Sighvatsdóttir lived in Iceland from the early 1200s until 1271. She was a very important woman during a time called the Age of the Sturlungs. This was a period of big conflicts between powerful families in Iceland. Steinvör was known for her strong political influence. She was also a skald, which means she was a poet who wrote poems about important people. Her name is even in an old list of poets called Skáldatal. Most of what we know about Steinvör comes from old stories in the Sturlunga Saga.

Steinvör's Family

Steinvör's parents were Sighvatr Sturluson and Halldóra Tumadóttir. Her father, Sighvatr, was a powerful leader of the Sturlungs family. Her mother, Halldóra, came from another important family called the Ásbirningar family clan.

Steinvör had two sisters and seven brothers. Her brothers included Sturla Sighvatsson and Þórðr kakali. She always saw herself as a strong member of the Sturlung family.

Steinvör's Life

In 1230, Steinvör married Hálfdan Sæmundsson. His father was a leader at Oddi. Steinvör and Hálfdan lived on their farm called Keldur. Hálfdan was a peaceful man. He preferred to stay on his farm and avoid political fights.

Steinvör, however, strongly supported her own Sturlung family. She seemed okay with Hálfdan's quiet life at first. This was true as long as her family was doing well.

A Time of Trouble

Things changed in 1238. The Sturlung family suffered a huge loss. This happened at the battle of Örlygsstaðir. Steinvör's father and four of her brothers were killed there.

Four years later, her brother Þórðr kakali came back to Iceland. He had been in Norway. He wanted to get revenge and bring back the Sturlungs' power. He first went to his sister Steinvör at Keldur for help.

Steinvör's Strong Influence

Þórðr kakali believed Steinvör was a very powerful woman. He thought she could convince her husband to help him. And she did! Steinvör even threatened to take charge herself if Hálfdan didn't help. She said she would take the keys to the storeroom. This was a symbol of a married woman's power.

Hálfdan, who liked peace, finally agreed to help. But he was still careful. He tried to avoid taking a clear side in the conflict for as long as he could.

Steinvör was highly respected by people at that time. She had more influence than most women. This was clear in 1242. There was a big disagreement between Þórðr kakali and the farmers in the Southern Region.

People avoided a fight because Steinvör and Bishop Sigvarðr Þéttmarsson stepped in. They were chosen to help solve the problem. The farmers agreed to make peace. They said they would accept whatever Steinvör and the bishop decided.

But if Steinvör and the bishop couldn't agree, Steinvör alone would make the final decision. This shows that the farmers trusted her even more than their bishop.

Later Years

When Þórðr kakali died in 1256, Steinvör was his only heir. She gave a farm called Grund to her son-in-law, Þorvarðr Þórarinsson. She also put him in charge of Þórðr's leadership area in Eyjafjörður.

This caused a problem with Þorgils skarði, who was also a Sturlung. He also wanted power in that area. Because of this, Þorvarðr lost his good name. He was soon forced to leave Eyjafjörður.

Steinvör and Hálfdan had three sons:

• Loft, who became a knight at Grund.
• Sighvatr, who became a knight at Keldur.
• Sturla.

Steinvör's Poetry

Steinvör is one of the few women whose name is in Skáldatal. This is a list of court poets. It is said that she wrote poems praising a chieftain named "Gautr on Melr." He was a friend of the Sturlung family. Sadly, none of her poems have survived to today.