Ingunn Arnórsdóttir

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Ingunn Arnórsdóttir lived in the 12th century in Iceland. She came from the Ásbirningar clan, was the daughter of Arnór Ásbjarnarson, and the sister of Kolbeinn Arnórsson. She was the first woman in Iceland to receive a formal academic education and to work as a teacher. She studied Latin at the Latin school of Bishop Jón Ögmundsson in Hólar, where she was the only female student. After finishing her studies, she taught at the school and educated many Icelandic men, two of whom later became bishops. Jóns saga ins helga describes her as a capable, orderly student and a generous teacher who taught grammar; she was equal to the male students and also sewed and did handiwork related to the Saints’ sagas. She was also one of the sources for Ólafs saga Tryggvasonar, written by Oddur Snorrason. In 2017, Reykjavík named a street in Vatnsmýri Ingunnargata in her honor.