Eiríksmál

Eiríksmál is a skaldic poem composed sometime in 954 or later on the behest of the Norwegian queen Gunnhild in honour of her slain consort Erik Bloodaxe. Only the beginning of the poem is extant.

Although classified here as skaldic since it deals with a historical figure the poem is actually anonymous and in the simple fornyrðislag meter, rather than ornate dróttkvætt. It thus has much in common with the Eddaic poems.

The later Hákonarmál appears to be modelled on Eiríksmál.

External links

• Eiríksmál in Old Norse from «Kulturformidlingen norrøne tekster og kvad» Norway.
• Two editions of the original text