Einarr Helgason

Einarr Helgason or Einarr skálaglamm was a 10th century Icelandic skald.He was a court-poet of Lord Hákon to whom he dedicated his magnum opus, the "Vellekla" ("Gold Dearth").

The part of Einarr's poetry that has come down to us is preserved in the Kings' sagas, the Prose Edda, Egils saga and Jómsvíkinga saga. According to Egils saga, Einarr was a friend of Egill Skalla-Grímsson and once gave him a decorated shield which he had received in Norway. Egill was greatly displeased since tradition compelled him to compose a "drápa" on the shield.

According to Landnámabók and other sources, Einarr drowned in Breiðafjörður.

References

* [http://www.northvegr.org/lore/egils_saga/083.php Of Einar Helgi's son and Egil] A chapter from Egils saga
* [http://omacl.org/Heimskringla/trygvason1.html Heimskringla : King Olaf Trygvason's Saga: Part I] Includes many quotations from "Vellekla" translated by Laing
* [http://www.hi.is/~eybjorn/ugm/skindex/eskal.html Einarr skálaglamm] All of Einarr's poetry with short notes on the skald in Icelandic
* [http://www.heimskringla.no/original/skaldekvad/vellekla.php Vellekla] Text of the poem with short notes on the skald in Norwegian