The legend of St Martin of Tours in France by his disciple Sulpicius Severus (

) was translated to Norse in the twelfth century. The saga is preserved in four medieval Norse manuscripts, the oldest of which is AM 645 4to from the second quarter of the thirteenth century, whereas the AM 235 fol. from the beginning of the fifteenth century is considered closest to the original. In all of these manuscripts

is alongside other legends of saints.

There are various other indications that St Martin was well known in medieval Iceland, as he was a church patron in six Icelandic churches and a patron saint in five. There also exists an altar piece from Möðruvellir in Eyjafjörður from the forteenth century where Martin sits in the middle and an altar cloth with

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Citation: Jakobsson, Ármann. "Martinus saga". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 08 March 2023 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=40996, accessed 21 November 2024.]