Heimskringla

a history of the Norse kings written by the Icelandic Snorre Sturluson. It receives its name, which means "the circle of the world," from the first words of the manuscript. It begins with the earliest mythical times and closes with the battle of Re in 1177. It describes the establishment of the kingdoms of Norway, Sweden, and Denmark; gives accounts of the Viking expeditions; of the discovery of Iceland, Greenland, and America; and of the conquests of England and Normandy. The first part of the Heimskringla is, of course, traditional; the last part is regarded as authentic history. Both for its historical value and as a work of literature, it is the most important prose work in Old Norse literature. It includes every species of saga composition.