The Old Norse word saga means 'story', 'tale' or 'history' and normally refers specifically to the epic prose narratives written mainly in Iceland between the 12th- and 15th centuries CE, covering the country's history as well as Scandinavia's legendary past. A few sagas were also written in Norway but in either country their usually anonymous writers shaped their stories in high-quality, nuanced prose, leading the saga to now be considered one of the prime vernacular literary genres of Medieval Europe. Poetry is generally included, too, which helps point out the influence older, oral traditions of storytelling are thought to have had on the saga's development.
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Definition
Timeline
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c. 790 - c. 1100The Viking Age.
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c. 870 - 930Age of Settlement; the period in which Iceland was first settled by Scandinavians (mainly from Norway).
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930 - 1030Age of Saga; the time, in Iceland, in which many of the Old Norse sagas are set.
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c. 1180 - c. 1450Old Norse-Icelandic sagas were mainly composed between the (late) 12th- and 15th centuries CE, in Iceland (although a few were composed in Norway). The 13th century CE formed the heyday of saga composition.
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1200 - 1262Age of the Sturlungs; in Iceland, six family clans have ended up in power, with the Sturlungs being the most powerful. In 1262, Iceland was brought under Norwegian rule.
