At that time Snorri was with Earl Skuli, and he knew that Skuli was planning a revolt against the king and was going to take the king's throne himself. Snorri, however, went home in the spring 1239, without the king's permission. He thought that it was not necessary to obey him , because the king would soon be dethroned.
One year later Skuli's revolt prooved to be unsucessful and he got killed by the king's men. Then it was time for the king to punish his Icelandic lord (Snorri), who had left the country and probably been Skuli's co-conspirator. The king wrote to Gissur Thorvaldsson who was his courtier and told him that Snorri had betrayed him and asked Gissur to kill Snorri.
Gissur arrived at Reykholt in the night of 23. September 1241, with 70 men. When Snorri became aware of them he fled down into the cellar. There he was found by Markus Mardarson, Simon Knutur, Arna beiskur, Thorsteinn Gudnason and Thorarinn Asgrimson. When they had found him, Simon Knutur asked Árni to strike Snorri. "Thou shalt not strike" said Snorri, "Strike all the same" Símon responded. "Thou shalt not strike" Snorri said again but at the same time Arni dealth him a lethal blow.
That´s how Snorri Sturluson was killed, defenceless in the night. He was killed by common brutes without being able to talk to Gissur or send any messages to him. Supposedly King Hakon is to have said that he would have preferred Snorri to live and learn to obey, but the killing of Snorri was nonetheless committed in the King's name.
