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The Battle of Sauðafell (''Orrustan á Sauðafelli'') occurred in 1550, when the forces of Catholic Bishop Jón Arason clashed with the forces of
Jón Arason brought with him a minimal force of around 100 men and took Sauðafell without opposition initially. Daði responded by secretly raising an elite force of similar size from his followers, half of which were heavily armored ''sveinar'' and half unarmored but equipped with guns. Mounted and covered in gray cloaks they marched under the cover of dark and foggy weather unnoticed by the Bishop's forces, surprising them early in the morning. The battle was nonetheless close fought and Daði was almost shot down by gunfire when he led his troops into the fray.
After being cornered in the Church, the Bishop accepted Daði's terms and surrendered. The bishop was captured along with his two sons and they were executed on 7 November 1550.
Daði Guðmundsson
Daði Guðmundsson ( – 1563) or Daði of Snóksdal was a farmer and magistrate in 16th century Iceland. He lived in the town of Snóksdalur in Dalasýsla, Dalasýsla county and played an important role in the Battle of Sauðafell and the Icelan ...
of Snóksdalur.
Location
Sauðafell was an important part of Daði'sfief
A fief (; ) was a central element in medieval contracts based on feudal law. It consisted of a form of property holding or other rights granted by an overlord to a vassal, who held it in fealty or "in fee" in return for a form of feudal alle ...
in western Iceland, close to his estate in Snóksdalur and vital to the Bishop's campaign against Lutheran
Lutheranism is a major branch of Protestantism that emerged under the work of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German friar and Protestant Reformers, reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practices of the Catholic Church launched ...
influence in the country as it blocked his lines of communication in the West to the South of Iceland.
Battle
Jón Arason brought with him a minimal force of around 100 men and took Sauðafell without opposition initially. Daði responded by secretly raising an elite force of similar size from his followers, half of which were heavily armored ''sveinar'' and half unarmored but equipped with guns. Mounted and covered in gray cloaks they marched under the cover of dark and foggy weather unnoticed by the Bishop's forces, surprising them early in the morning. The battle was nonetheless close fought and Daði was almost shot down by gunfire when he led his troops into the fray.
After being cornered in the Church, the Bishop accepted Daði's terms and surrendered. The bishop was captured along with his two sons and they were executed on 7 November 1550.
References
Sources
*Vilborg Auður Ísleifsdóttir, ''Siðbreytingin á Íslandi 1537–1565: Byltingin að ofan,'', Hið íslenzka bókmenntafélag. Reykjavík. 1997. *Bogi Benediktsson, ''Sýslumannaæfir.'' vol. III. Reykjavik. 1932. *Íslenzkt fornbréfasafn, sem hefir inni að halda bréf og gjörninga, dóma og máldaga og aðrar skrár, er snerta Ísland eða íslenzka menn. vol XI. Copenhagen. *Íslenzkt fornbréfasafn, sem hefir inni að halda bréf og gjörninga, dóma og máldaga og aðrar skrár, er snerta Ísland eða íslenzka menn. vol XII. Copenhagen. 16th century in Iceland 1550 in Europe Conflicts in 1550 European wars of religion Catholic rebellions Battles of the Middle Ages Military history of Iceland Battles involving Denmark–Norway {{Medieval-stub