Bærings saga or Bærings saga fagra is a medieval Icelandic romance saga. Its oldest manuscript is from the early fourteenth-century, allowing the saga to be dated relatively securely to the beginning of the period of Icelandic production of romances.
Synopsis.
Kalinke and Mitchell summarise the saga thus:
The saga recounts Bæring's efforts to avenge the death of his uncle, ruler of Ertinborg, who had been killed by one of his own knights, Heinrekr. Heinrekr proposes marriage to Bæring's widowed mother, sister of the murdered ruler. Rejected, he vows to kill Bæringr. Mother and child flee to England, where Bæringr eventually is knighted. He
travels to the continent and serves under the rulers of Frakkland, Grikkland, and Romaborg, distinguishing himself in tournament and war. Several princesses fall passfonately in love with him, but he rejects them. Eventually, he vanquishes Heinrekr, becomes ruler of his patrimonial as well as other lands, and marries the daughter of the king of Grikkland.
Sources and influence.
While relatively early, the saga is thought to draw on "Rémundar saga keisarasonar", "Þiðreks saga", "Mírmanns saga" and "Ívens saga".
The saga was the basis for no fewer than six cycles of "rímur", dating from the sixteenth century to the nineteenth, along with the nineteenth-century Faroese ballad "Bærings vísa" (CCF 42).
Manuscripts.
Kalinke and Mitchell identified the following manuscripts of the saga:
References.
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