A New Attempt to Understand Adam of Bremen: an Answer to Sture Bolin 80 Years Later
In the beginning of the 20 th century Swedish hypercritical historians were sure that they opened a new era in scientific research. Such pioneers of Nordic medieval studies as professors of the University of Lund Lauritz Weibull and Sture Bolin created impressive monographs which have become standard works in the field of early medieval history in Scandinavia. Their scholarship influenced many others and even produced new stereotypes, leading sometimes to exaggerations and shortcomings. They understated the significance of almost all narrative sources for early Scandinavian history including chronicles written by Adam of Bremen and Saxo Grammaticus, Icelandic kings'' sagas and some others. As a part of a general work for revaluation of their results the author of the present article tries to analyse major ideas in Bolin''s work entitled Kring master Adams text. Interpretation och kommentar. Bidrag till Nordens historia under 900- och 1000-talen. There are six problems, treated in this study, that are in the centre of interest: a possible appeal for holiness concerning the Danish King Harald Bluetooth, supposed treaty between Kings Edward the Confessor of England and Magnus the Good of Norway, composition of the "Scandinavian chapters" in Book III of Adam''s chronicle, marital policy of Sven II Estridsen in Denmark, the same problem in the case of Olav the Peaceful''s mother and finally the question of Birka''s downfall. An overall conclusion is that at least in three cases S. Bolin has come to quite natural and logical solutions of older problems and in three other cases he is rather a myth-maker than an exacting critic.