Nitida Saga. Rapporto fra potere monarchico e sapere universale nell’Islanda tardomedievale

Nitida saga is among the most notable examples of late-medieval chivalric romances in Iceland, as it stimulates multifaceted interpretations that align it with the classics of the genre. Beneath an adventurous plot that may resemble that of a folktale, the saga conceals a complex narrative structure, a debt towards mystical and patristic traditions and a reflection on the relationship between universal knowledge and secular power. This contribution sheds light on these aspects through the analysis of the saga’s fictional space, which consists of Christian allegorical designs that glorify the protagonist and legitimate a form of female power unique in the medieval Icelandic corpus. The saga distances itself from the typical meykónga sögur of the Old Norse tradition – stories of despotic queens who rule alone and ruthlessly reject their suitors – in order to subvert their patterns and create a literary work of surprising innovative potential.