Snorri Sturluson (or Sturlason) (1179-1241)From Encyclopedia of Medieval Literature
Icelandic statesman, poet, historian and Iceland's best-known medieval writer. Snorri was ambitious, grew to be a powerful man of the time, and accumulated a great deal of wealth, becoming chieftain of several judicial districts. He was made lawspeaker of the Althing (the Icelandic parliament) in 1215–18 and again in 1222–31. Embroiled in the politics of his day, Snorri fell afoul of the Norwegian king, and was murdered in what was probably a political assassination in 1241.