Gothi orgoði (pluralgoðar, fem.gyðja;Old Norse:guþi) was a position of political and social prominence in theIcelandic Commonwealth. The term originally had a religious significance, referring to apagan leader responsible for a religious structure and communal feasts, but the title is primarily known as a secular political title from medievalIceland.
The word derives fromgoð, meaning "god".[1] It possibly appears inUlfilas'Gothic languagetranslation of the Bible asgudja for "priest", although the corresponding form of this inIcelandic would have been an unattested*gyði.[2] InScandinavia, there is one surviving attestation in theProto-Norse formgudija from the Norwegian Nordhuglorunestone (N KJ65),[3][4] and in the later Old Norse formguþi from three Danish runestones: DR 190 Helnæs, DR 192 Flemløse 1 andDR 209 Glavendrup.[5] There are a few placenames, such asGudby inSödermanland, Sweden, that probably retain the name.[6] Otherwise, there are no further surviving attestations except from Iceland where thegoðar would be of historical significance.[2]
Ragnhildr placed this stone in memory of Alli the Pale, priest [goða] of thesanctuary, honourableþegn of the sanctuary-retinue.
From the pagan era in mainland Scandinavia, the only sources for the title are runestones. The Norwegian Nordhuglo stone from around AD 400 seems to place the title in opposition to magic, using a word related to the Old Norsegandr. The inscription'sEk gudija ungandiz means "I,gudija" followed by "he who is immune to sorcery" or "he who does not engage in sorcery".[8] The three Danish stones are all fromFunen. The earlyViking Age Helnæs and Flemløse 1 stones provide no details about the function of aguþi, but mention aguþi named Roulv whose name also appears on two other runestones, the lost Avnslev stone and the Flemløse 2 stone. The early 10th-centuryGlavendrup stone uses the term for a local dignitary who was associated with avé, which is a religious structure. It thus attaches the title to a simultaneouslysecular andreligious upper strata.[5]
The most reliable sources about thegoðar in Iceland are theGray Goose Laws, theLandnámabók and theSturlunga saga. After thesettlement of Iceland, ahofgoði was usually a wealthy and respected man in his district, for he had to maintain the communal hall orhof in which community religious observances and feasts were held. The office over which agoði had leadership was termed agoðorð, a word that only appears in Icelandic sources.[1] Initially many independentgoðorð were established, until they united under theAlthing around 930. In 964, the system was fixed under a constitution that recognized 39goðorð. The role of thegoðar as secular leaders is shown in how the word was used synonymously withhöfðingi, meaningchieftain. Over time, and especially after 1000, when theChristian conversion occurred in Iceland, the term lost all religious connotations and came to meanliege-lord or chieftain of the Icelandic Commonwealth.[2] Agoðorð could be bought, shared, traded or inherited. If a woman inherited agoðorð she had to leave the leadership to a man.[1] The office was in many respects treated as private property but was not counted as taxable, and is defined in the Gray Goose Laws as "power and not wealth" (veldi er þat en æigi fe); nevertheless thegoðar are frequently portrayed in thesagas as concerned with money and expected to be paid for their services.[1]
During the Icelandic Commonwealth, the responsibilities of agoði orgoðorðsmaður ("goðorð man") included the annual organization of the local assembliesvárþing in the spring andleið in the autumn. At the national Althing, they were voting members of theLögrétta, the legislative section of the assembly. When quarter courts were introduced in the 960s, thegoðar became responsible for nominating judges for the Althing courts. When a court of appeals was established in the early 11th century, they also nominated judges for this court. Further, they had a few formal and informal executive roles, such as confiscating the property of outlaws. They also had a central role in theredistribution of wealth, by holding feasts, giving gifts, making loans, extending hospitality, as well as pricing and helping to distribute imported goods.[1] The holder of thegoðorð of the descendants ofIngólfr Arnarson, the first Scandinavian to settle permanently in Iceland, had the ceremonial role of sanctifying the Althing each year, and was called theallsherjargoði ("all-peoplegoði").[9] The followers of agoði were calledþingmenn. Everyfree landowner in possession of a certain amount of property was required to be associated with agoði, although he was free to choose which one—agoðorð was not a geographical unit.[citation needed] Thegoði would help hisþingmenn to bring cases before the court and to enforce their rights, and theþingmenn would in return provide thegoði with armed manpower for his feuds and carry out legal sentences.[1]
By the 13th century, all thegoðorð were controlled by five or six families and often united under office holders who in modern studies are known asstorgoðar ("greatgoðar") orstorhöfðingjar ("great chieftains"). Thesegoðar struggled for regional and sometimes national power, and occasionally sought to become retainers for theNorwegian king. The institution came to an end when the majorgoðar pledgedfealty to kingHaakon IV of Norway in 1262–1264, signing theOld Covenant, and the Norwegian crown abolished thegoðorð system.[1]
In the early 1970s, the wordsgoði,goðorð andallsherjargoði were adopted by the Icelandicneopagan organizationÁsatrúarfélagið. Following this,goði,godi orgothi is often used as a priestly title by modern adherents of various denominations ofGermanic neopaganism.
