Jón lærði Guðmundsson (; 1574–1658) was an Icelandic
autodidact
Autodidacticism (also autodidactism) or self-education (also self-learning, self-study and self-teaching) is the practice of education without the guidance of schoolmasters (i.e., teachers, professors, institutions).
Overview
Autodi ...
, poet, and alleged
sorcerer
Sorcerer may refer to:
Magic
* Sorcerer (supernatural), a practitioner of magic that derives from supernatural or occult sources
* Sorcerer (fantasy), a fictional character who uses or practices magic that derives from supernatural or occult sou ...
.
He is considered a pioneer of Icelandic literary history, because he was the first to write a description of Icelandic nature and a critical account of a contemporary event, in
Icelandic. His poetry gives insight into contemporary
Icelandic folklore.
Guðmundsson, who lived in
Strandir, was considered a great master of
magic in 17th century Iceland. He was said to have turned around the
Turkish slave ships from the coasts of Iceland more than once, an achievement which gave him widespread fame, and was described in popular prints.
[Ankarloo, Bengt & Henningsen, Gustav (red.), Skrifter. Bd 13, Häxornas Europa 1400–1700 : historiska och antropologiska studier, Nerenius & Santérus, Stockholm, 1987] He was also said to have killed two ghosts between 1611-1612 with two of his poems: "Fjandafæla" and "Snjáfjallavísum". He had to leave his home region and was tried for
sorcery
Sorcery commonly refers to:
* Magic (supernatural), the application of beliefs, rituals or actions employed to manipulate natural or supernatural beings and forces
** Goetia, ''Goetia'', magic involving the evocation of spirits
** Witchcraft, the ...
several times during the 1630s, but managed to avoid the death penalty every time.
Guðmundsson wrote an unbiased report of the
Slaying of the Spaniards and as a result was declared an outlaw in his own country.
See also
*
Witch trials in Iceland
References
External links
Jón Guðmundsson and his natural history of Iceland, on archive.org
1574 births
1658 deaths
Jón laerdi Gudmundsson
People acquitted of witchcraft
Jón laerdi Gudmundsson
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