Battle of Haugsnes explained

Conflict:Battle of Haugsnes
Date:19 April 1246
Result:Sturlungar victory
Combatant1:Sturlungar
Combatant2:Ásbirningar
Commander1:Þórður Sighvatsson
Commander2:Brandur Kolbeinsson
Strength1:~500
Strength2:~600
Casualties1:~40
Casualties2:~70

The Battle of Haugsnes was fought at Haugsnes, a low peninsula south of Flugumýri in Skagafjörður, Northern Iceland. The battle took place on April 19, 1246 between the forces of Þórður kakali Sighvatsson and those of Brandur Kolbeinsson. 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 led to the end of power for the Ásbirningar.[1]

The artist and farmer Sigurður Hansen of Kringlumýri 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

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Haugsnes (Historical Places in Northwest Iceland) . 2011-02-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110722021902/http://www.northwest.is/1sogulegirstadir2.asp . 2011-07-22 . dead .
  2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdT1PcF0UHY Haugsnesbardagi í túninu heima (video about the memorial)