[MR] interesting word, possible surname

[Davitt il Bigollo da Pisa]

At 10:19 AM 5/7/2008, Olwen the Odd wrote:

>Skarpretter is a middle age word, meaning an 
>official of the state appointed to carry out 
>death sentences. The skarpretter usually only 
>carried out death-sentences and only by chopping 
>the head of his victims. This official of state 
>would be considered master of his trade when he 
>could chop of the head of his victims with one hew of his axe.


One of the more prominent characters in the 
Viking (Saga) literature is Skarphedin. He is 
known for his use of the axe as a weapon. He was 
a son of Njal, in Njal's Saga (aka The Saga of Burnt Njal).

http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/17919
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/17919/17919-h.zip

Njal's saga is widely considered to be the best 
novel of the 12th Century. A large part of the 
middle of the book is the history of how Iceland 
became the only country to become Christian by popular vote.

Hint: commercial advantage was a consideration!
:-)

There is also a Norwegian football (soccer) team called Skarphedin.

Skarpnaek is a borough of Stockholm, Sweden.

--

Davitt il Bigollo da Piƒa
Goldƒmith's Agent in Livorno
Fa¢or in the lands of the Mughuls
Coral and Emeralds from Inde and Serendip

Checky argent and azure, two cheƒs rooks or in 
chief, a cheƒs knight or, a three-turret tower or in baƒe