The Burning of Bishop Adam: perspectives of a murder on the Norse-Scottish border

Abstract

In 1222, Adam, bishop of Caithness, was murdered by a group of Caithness landholders. Although it appears in a fourteenth century manuscript, the Old Norse text Brenna Adams Byskups (The Burning of Bishop Adam) originated in Iceland in the 1230s. It provides a Caithness-based perspective on Adam’s death to compare with other accounts from around the world. Including a new transcription and translation of the text, this article contextualises Brenna Adams Byskups and the events of Adam’s death. At this time, the bishops of Caithness were used by the Scottish kings to promote royal authority in the territory of the jarls of Orkney and Caithness, leading to moments of violence. By comparing Brenna Adams Byskups to other accounts, Jarl Jón’s (died 1231) role in Adam’s death can be established, as can the extent of King Alexander II’s (1214–49) punishments. Adam’s murder had a significant impact on northern Scotland, consolidating Scottish royal authority in Sutherland and possibly contributing to Jarl Jón’s murder in 1231.