1348-00-00-Iceland
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| Date startStart date of the disease. | 1348-04-16 Tuesday | + |
| Date endEnd date of the disease. | + | |
| SeasonSeason (spring, summer, fall or winter) | ||
| Date otherOther mentioned dates. | ||
| PlacePlace(s), city or location of the disease. | Hólar, Keilir, Skálholt | |
| RegionHistorical region(s) | ||
| CountryCurrent country | Iceland | |
| RiverMentioned river(s) | ||
| Natural eventMentioned natural event(s) | Frost | |
| PersonMentioned persons(s) | Jón Sigurðsson, Ormr Ásláksson, Saint Magnús Erlendsson | |
| GroupGroup(s) of people mentioned | ||
| VictimIndication of victims | + | |
| AnimalMentioned animal(s) | ||
| DiseaseMentioned disease(s) | Plague | |
| Epidemic waveAssociated epidemic wave | ||
| Social responseSocial response that happened in reaction to the disease | ||
| LanguageLanguage of the original text | Icelandic | |
| KeywordFurther keyword(s) | Mortality | |
| last edited | 23. 12. 2025 by EpiMedDat-Bot. |
The bishop of Skálholt, Jón Sigurðsson, dies of a plague in 1348 on the Day of St Magnús Erlendsson, 16 April. Earlier, he had unsuccessfully attempted to reconcile Northern Icelandic peasants with the Bishop of Hólar, Ormr Ásláksson. Harsh winter in Iceland, even fjords are frozen
Text originalOriginal text
Vtkuama Jons byskops. Sigurdar sonar. Reid hann til Hola ok ætlade at koma sættargiord j millum Orms byskops ok Nordlendinga. en allr almugi bonda samnadizst saman ok kom til Hola. ok villdu at ongum koste vndir hann leggia edr sættazst vidr þa Orm byskop. Reid Jon byskop sudr kiol ok tok sott þegar hann kom sndr. vm land. ok la framan til Magnus dags ok saladizst þa. var hann framferdugr madr ok mickill hofdinga. Frosta vetr sua mickill a Islande at frere sioinn vmhuerfiss landit so at rida matte af hueriu annnese ok vm alla fiordu.
Text translationEnglish translation of the text
Arrival of Bishop Jón Sigurðsson (to Iceland). He rode to Hólar and attempted to bring reconciliation between Bishop Ormr and the Northerners. But all peasants gathered together and came to Hólar and did not want at any cost to submit or reconcile with Bishop Ormr. Bishop Jón rode southwards to Keilir and fell sick with a plague when he arrived in the south of the country, and was laid up until Magnus’ Day (= 16 April), and died then. He was a favourable and great man. Such a great winter of frost on Iceland that there was frost around the land, so that it was possible to ride from every point of land and all over the fjord.
