From the time of Harald Fairhair until the present day, Norway has had more than 60 named sovereigns. [16] A serfdom-like institution called the vistarband developed, in which peasants were bound to landowners for a year at a time. At the local level, three godar usually held a joint assembly in late spring at which a local court operated, again with judges nominated by the godar. Wikimedia,Creative Commons, byGuerber, H. A, The Top 9 Most Infamous Icelanders in History, Wikimedia, Creative Commons, byEugne Delacroix, How To Travel in Iceland | The Top 5 Do's and Don'ts, Wikimedia, Creative Commons, by USMC Archives, The Fascinating History of Icelandic Architecture, Wikimedia, Creative Commons, by the Royal Navy, Wikimedia, Creative Commons, by United State Army, The Top 9 Most Famous Icelanders in History, A Snapshot of Iceland | Facts, Figures and Information. Icelandic patrol ships and British trawlers clashed in all four Cod Wars. At the time of Icelands settlement, Norse people worshipped gods whom they called sir (singular ss), and this religion left behind an extensive mythology in Icelandic literature. Due to a lack of timber, Icelanders held on to a tradition of building sod houses, otherwise referred to as an Icelandic turf house, a type of dwelling made by cutting two rectangles of sod, then piling them into the homes interior walls. According to stories written down some 250 years after the event, the country was discovered and settled by Norse people in the Viking Age. Historiography prefers the term 'free state'. This agreement ended the Icelandic Commonwealth, and the island became a vassal of the Kingdom of Norway. In any case, no trace of democratic practice reached farther down the social scale than to the heads of farming households; women and workers (free or enslaved) had no role in the political system. On May 6, British prime minister Winston Churchill made a case to the war cabinet that building military bases in Iceland was essential in preemptively denying the country to Axis forces. Despite the incredibly beneficial economic impact, this action proved to be highly controversial to much of the Icelandic population, who continued to protest their neutrality, all the while cooperating with Allied troops. Roman currency dating to the third century has been found in Iceland, but it is unknown whether they were brought there at that time or came later with Vikings after circulating for centuries.[10]. Sixty-two unarmed German sailors were also arrested after being rescued from the Bahia Blanca, a German freighter that had recently struck an iceberg in the Denmark Strait. Denmark, however, did not provide much protection to Iceland,[citation needed] which was raided in 1627 by a Barbary pirate fleet that abducted almost 300 Icelanders into slavery, in an episode known as the Turkish Abductions. The first Norseman who deliberately sailed to Gararshlmi was Hrafna-Flki Vilgerarson. Book your complete trip with the best companies only. 391 of the combatants were born in Iceland, the rest were of Icelandic descent. And while it's simpler to consider these elemental forces as ancient Iceland history, something long forgotten, the truth is, Iceland is still very much experiencing growing pains. The First King was a legendary figure who lived during the Dawn Age. As a consequence, Norway, Denmark, Germany, and other European nations have increased their defense and rescue cooperation with Iceland since the withdrawal of U.S. forces. It is unknown, however, if Pytheas and the hermits were describing the same island. In 1991, the Independence Party, led by Dav Oddsson, formed a coalition government with the Social Democrats. Codification of the law was begun in 111718. From around the year 793 to 1066, Norsemen used rivers and oceans to explore Europe for trading, raiding and conquest. It started to form in the Miocene era about 20 million years ago from a series of volcanic eruptions on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, where it lies between the North American and Eurasian plates. Given that Nazi Germany still occupied Denmark in 1944, many Danes felt it inappropriate to hold such an election. [43] Iceland became an independent republic on 17 June 1944, with Sveinn Bjrnsson as its first president. This left enough room for windows and doors, but these homes were rarely warm and required great fires in the center of the room, which often caused respiratory problems. Genes are no exception: isolation and inbreeding throughout its history make this northern Atlantic island a paradise for genetic studies. This culminated in theBattle of Orlygsstaoirthe largest known battle in Icelandic historywhere Sturla was soundly defeated. Photo from Wikimedia, Creative Commons, by army.mil. The incorporation of Iceland into the Norwegian Realm", "Politics and Courtly Culture in Iceland, 12001700", "What Did They Eat? [41][42] According to one study, "by the end of World War II, Iceland had been transformed from one of Europes poorest countries to one of the worlds wealthiest."[41]. Norway, in turn, was united with Sweden (1319) and then Denmark (1376). The Althing, which had been suspended in 1799, was restored in 1844, and Iceland gained sovereignty after World War I, becoming the Kingdom of Iceland on 1 December 1918. This position had left Iceland, a neutral country, in a rather precarious position. By 930, the chieftains had established a form of governance, the Althing, making it one of the world's oldest parliaments. By the 1930s the consensus in Iceland was to seek complete independence by 1944 at the latest. [55] Halldr sgrmsson, leader of the Progressive Party, took over as prime minister from 2004 to 2006,[56] followed by Geir H. Haarde, Dav Oddsson's successor as leader of the Independence Party.[57]. 1940-1946: During the Second World War, the United Kingdom occupies the officially neutral Kingdom of Iceland in order to secure a naval foothold against Axis forces in the North Atlantic. When was Guide to Iceland founded and why? The British were replaced by up to 40,000 Americans, who outnumbered all adult Icelandic men. The history of Iceland is rich with legend and lore, ranging from the first settlement that was established here over a thousand years ago to the prosperous, liberal, and modern Scandinavian nation that it is today. They would have to look elsewhere if they were ever going to recoup the losses accumulated over the years of the financial crash. But was Iceland ever at threat from the Axis powers in the first place? Today, Surtsey is classified as a protected reserve, with only the academics studying it allowed to set foot on the island. During the 11th and 12th centuries, the centralization of power had worn down the institutions of the commonwealth, as the former, notable independence of local farmers and chieftains gave way to the growing power of a handful of families and their leaders. This place eventually became the capital and the largest city of modern Iceland. Harald Halfdansson (Old Norse: Haraldr Hlfdanarson; c. 850 - c. 932), better known as Harald Hrfagre English: Harald Fairhair), was remembered by medieval historians as the first King of Norway. Shall probably be too late! [21], In the quarter of a century preceding the war, Iceland had prospered. However, in the 9th century, they were driven out by Vikings. This waterfall, Godafoss (Waterfall of the Gods), is a popular visitors attraction in Iceland today. For a short time, Icelanders considered banking their new modus operandi. In addition to this, the country received the most Marshall Aid per capita of any European country in the immediate postwar years (at US$209, with the war-ravaged Netherlands a distant second at US$109). Of course, history from so long ago is far from exact. [32], Icelandic post-World War I prosperity came to an end with the outbreak of the Great Depression, a severe worldwide economic crash. Such transformative makeovers have only occurred in the capital a handful of times, but today, the renaissance is evident. Parodying the evil character in the 'It' movie, the campaign urged McDonald's customers to escape the chain's clown mascot, Ronald McDonald. The United States provided extensive economic patronage, advocated on Iceland's behalf in international organizations, allowed Iceland to violate the rules of international organizations, and helped Iceland to victory in the Cod Wars. Born in Iceland around A.D. 970, Erikson sailed to Norway around A.D. 1000 . Recorded settlement has conventionally been dated back to 874, although archaeological evidence indicates Gaelic monks from Ireland, known as papar according to sagas, had settled Iceland earlier. After analyzing ancient genomes of 25 individuals who lived on the island during its colonization 1,100 years ago, s cientists may now have an answer. One century later, Iceland would be granted to the Danish. Children fathered by foreign troops were known as astandsborn (children of the situation). An all-party government was formed, and Lufthansa's request for civilian airplane landing rights was rejected. He set about conquering the various petty kingdoms in Norway throughout his early youth through a series of battles and was crowned King of Norway by the time he was 20. [11] The Landnmabk ("Book of Settlements"), written in the 1100s, mentions the presence of Irish monks, called the Papar, prior to Norse settlement and states that the monks left behind Irish books, bells, and crosiers, among other things. [14] After decades of internal conflict, the Icelandic chieftains agreed to accept the sovereignty of Norway and signed the Old Covenant (Gamli sttmli) establishing a union with the Norwegian monarchy. What they did find, however, was a fiery bathtub, midway through burning intelligence documents, and Consul Gerlach angrily protesting that Iceland was a neutral country. The first Norseman who lived in Iceland was Flki Vilgerarson. It was under the First King's leadership that the First Men traveled across the Arm of Dorne from Essos to Westeros. Mauna Loa: Earth's Largest Volcano", New View on the Origin of First Settlers in Iceland, "All the King's men. An independence movement developed under the leadership of a lawyer named Jn Sigursson. [39][40], The occupation of Iceland by the British and the Americans proved to be an economic boom, as the occupiers injected money into the Icelandic economy and launched various projects. [39][40] An additional 70 Icelanders died at sea, but it has not been confirmed whether they lost their lives as a result of hostilities. Consider the ice-capped volcano, Eyjafjallajokull, which erupted in 2010 after a 200-year silence. According to this contract, the Americans would leave Iceland following the end of World War II, transferring control of Keflavik Airport in the process. The president of Iceland (Icelandic: Forseti slands) is the head of state of Iceland.The incumbent is Guni Thorlacius Jhannesson, who is now in his second term as president, elected in 2016 and re-elected in 2020.. Vigds Finnbogadttir assumed Iceland's presidency on 1 August 1980, she made history as the first elected female head of state in the world. Jon Sigurosson bravely led a group of Icelandic intellectuals towards an independence movement, recreating an autonomous Icelandic government. On May 3, the British Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Alexander Cadogan, wrote in his diary, Home 8. This vote occurred only four years after Denmark had succumbed to the invading German army. The German takeover of Norway left Iceland highly exposed; Britain decided it could not risk a German takeover of Iceland. These same forces can still be seen in volcanic eruptions or earthquakes. There is little consensus on how to divide Icelandic history. The DanishIcelandic Act of Union, an agreement signed by Iceland and Denmark on 1 December 1918, recognized Iceland as a fully sovereign statethe Kingdom of Icelandjoined with Denmark in a personal union with the Danish king. The only European of his time whose achievements in discovery match his, is his father, Erik the Red . Early Medieval Icelandic Government, or Viking Iceland, has been termed an incipient form of democracy or democratic parliamentarism, however, the system was actually nothing like its European counterparts, be they medieval or contemporary. Most of the settlers came from Norway, but some came from other Nordic countries and from the Norse Viking Age settlements in the British Isles. and the Greek explorer Pytheas who documented his travels. . While Iceland was abundant with specific resources such as poultry, cattle, sheep, horses, pigs, and fish, the people still lacked many of lifes essentials and luxuries. Iceland remained under Norwegian kingship until 1380, when the death of Olaf II of Denmark extinguished the Norwegian male royal line. Photo fromWikimedia,Creative Commons, by Johan Peter Raadsig. Dined and worked. Danish King Christian X sent a message of congratulations to the Icelandic people. The First King was a sovereign who once reigned supreme over all First Men and led them to Westeros, according to legends from the north. The roofing was often turf as the house was built into the hillsides, and they frequently had to be repaired due to rain damage. This ultimately unsuccessful meeting of mindsthe issues would, thankfully be resolved in the next yeartook place at Hofoi House, marking a new era. Thorgeir was chosen for his reputation as a reasonable man who could act as a peaceful mediator between both sides of the debate. While it is convenient to divide history into named periods, it is also misleading because the course of human events neither starts nor ends abruptly in most cases, and movements and influences often overlap. Hrafna-Floki (Floki of the Ravens), as he is called, was the first Norseman to deliberately set sail to Iceland. Among other things, the union meant a . Aside from the prevailing hunger, many would die from extreme heat or the toxic gas that filled the air. The formal conversion of Iceland began when King Olaf Tryggvason sent Thangbrand, a German priest, to the island. Farms, fishing outposts and villages began to form all around Iceland's coast. There was no king of Iceland at the time Leif went on his journey. Most of the opponents of Harald fell in battle - Eirik was killed, Sulki and Soti fell, and Thorir Haklang went berserk and was slain. This has had both incredible benefits and detriments to the Icelandic community, sparking an ever-hot debate on the preservation of nature versus the utilization of energy sources. The first people to settle in Iceland were probably Irish monks who came in the 8th century. Only a few decades before that, it had become subject to the modernism that followed World War IIthe theaters, the restaurants, the museums, and the bars. Iceland demanded Britain allow it to trade with Germany, to no avail. In the A Song of Ice and Fire novels, the First King is said to have led the First Men across the Arm of Dorne in their . Contemporary Icelandic names are shared by Icelands first settlers, providing an intergenerational connection. This magma pocket is known as the Iceland Plume. Throughout the 19th century, the country's climate continued to grow worse, resulting in mass emigration to the New World, particularly Manitoba in Canada. Iceland's history has also been marked by a number of natural disasters. In 1989, Vigdis Finnbogadottir became the President of Iceland and the worlds first democratically elected female head of state. In 1220, this conflict saw powerful Icelandic chieftains (Gooar) battle to decide whether Iceland should become a subject of Hakon the Old, King of Norway. Following him, a Swede named Gardar Svavarsson . [36], Iceland turned down British offers of protection after the occupation of Denmark, because that would violate Iceland's neutrality. In the 18th century, climatic conditions in Iceland reached an all-time low since the original settlement. No one was vested with executive power over the country as a whole. Iceland was settled in the late 9th and early 10th centuries, principally by people of Norwegian and other Scandinavian origin. You'll be privy to the thrilling adventures, epic battles, and divine mischief that made these gods the stuff of legends. This caused widespread protests in Iceland, to little avail, but did cement in the Icelandic psyche a distrust of widespread foreign intervention and the willingness to protest policies they considered opposed to the countrys value systems. To face the challenges of the future, residents here will have to look back on this countrys fascinating history, from its early settlement to its declaration of independence after World War II, as well as the contentious and influencing years that followed. However abundant driftwood may have been, it could not satisfy the needs of the whole population. Journal of Medieval and Renaissance Studies 40:2 (Autumn 2009), 15170. When the two kingdoms of Denmark and Norway were separated by the Treaty of Kiel in 1814 following the Napoleonic Wars, Denmark kept Iceland, as well as Faroe and Greenland, as dependencies. Archaeological finds also support the documentary evidence and place Iceland among Norse Viking Age settlements of the late 9th or early 10th century. The . Around the time Iceland became a vassal state of Norway, a climate shift occurreda phenomenon now called the Little Ice Age. Such development would seemingly imply that this once isolated, North Atlantic island now holds a prominent position in the psyche of international travelers. A layer of tephra (volcanic ash) that in many places coincides with the earliest remains of human habitation in Iceland has been identified in Greenland ice and dated to about 870. The constitution was revised in 1903, and a minister for Icelandic affairs, residing in Reykjavk, was made responsible to the Althing, the first of whom was Hannes Hafstein. Sverre Bagge, Michael H. Gelting, Frode Hervik, Thomas Lindkvist & Bjrn Poulsen (Oslo 2012), 10118. [67] In September 2017, the 9-month-old center-right coalition of Prime Minister Bjarni Benediktsson, leader of the Independence Party, collapsed after one party, a small centrist Bright Future, left the government. This revival was spearheaded by the Fjlnismenn, a group of Danish-educated Icelandic intellectuals. King of Iceland Details Style His Majesty First monarch Haakon IV Last monarch Christian X Contents1 Is there a royal [] Two days after, Operation Valentine saw the British invade the neighboring Faroe Islands. By the tenth century, political pressure from Europe to convert to Christianity mounted. The total value of Icelandic exports fell from 74 million kronur in 1929 to 48 million kronur in 1932, and did not rise again to the pre-1930 level until after 1939. The first permanent settler in Iceland is usually considered to have been a Norwegian chieftain named Inglfr Arnarson and his wife, Hallveig Fradttir. Opposition to the reformation ended in 1550 when Jn Arason was captured after being defeated in the Battle of Sauafell by loyalist forces under the leadership of Dai Gumundsson. Some of the Irish and Scots were slaves and servants of the Norse chiefs, according to the sagas of Icelanders, the Landnmabk, and other documents. After the cold winter passed, the summer came and the whole island became green, which stunned Flki. The Royal Navy was sent to the contested waters in the last three Cod Wars, leading to highly publicized clashes. 1918: On 1 December, the Kingdom of Iceland achieves sovereignty from Denmark, with King Christian X of Denmark becoming King Kristjn X of Iceland. Leif Erikson was the son of Erik the Red, founder of the first European settlement on what is now called Greenland. In due time, the pillars were found in current-day Reykjavik, where he settled with his family in 874. Match the Country with Its Hemisphere Quiz. On 12 August 2006, the last four F-15's left Icelandic airspace. In 930, the ruling chiefs established a republican constitution and an assembly called the Althing the oldest parliament in the world. When the force finally did come, the British were surprised to find the Icelanders rather accommodating, even helping the soldiers unload supplies from their ship. We would like to show you a description here but the site won't allow us. The latter, concluded in 1297, saw a significant shift of wealth and power from the aristocracy to the Church, which was increasingly independent of secular influence. [14], The period also saw the staaml, two major disputes over whether secular aristocrats should benefit from the tithes of proprietary churches they had founded. Iceland became de facto fully sovereign with these actions. Photo from Wikimedia,Creative Commons, byGuerber, H. A. In 1220, Snorri Sturluson became a vassal of Haakon IV of Norway; his nephew Sturla Sighvatsson also became a vassal in 1235. The oldest source, slendingabk (The Book of the Icelanders), written about 1130, sets the period of settlement at about 870930 ce. - Icelandic food from the Settlement through the Middle Ages", "Iceland's External Affairs from 1400 to the Reformation: Anglo-German Economic and Societal Shelter in a Danish Political Vacuum", "Discover: Twenty ways the world could end suddenly", "Iceland's External Affairs from the Napoleonic Era to the occupation of Denmark: Danish and British Shelter", "Hve margir slendingar du seinni heimsstyrjldinni? Since Denmark was still occupied by Germany, many Danes felt offended that the step should have been taken at the time[citation needed]. Harald I, byname Harald Fairhair or Harald Finehair, Norwegian Harald Hrfager, Old Norse Harald Hrfagri, (born c. 860died c. 940), the first king to claim sovereignty over all of Norway. [34], The occupation of Denmark by Nazi Germany began on 9 April 1940, severing communications between Iceland and Denmark. Equally controversial was the impact that foreign troops had on Icelandic society. Forces. It dated to around 874 A.D., which is about the time researchers believed that the Vikings settled in Iceland. Iceland joined the European Economic Area in 1994, thus strengthening its position on the international financiers stage. From left, Crown Princess Mary and Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark; Finland president Tarja Halonen; King Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden; Queen Sonja and King Harald of Norway; and First Lady of Iceland Dorrit Mousaieff and president of Iceland . Iceland first began to form approximately 70 million years ago. It should be understood that Icelands position on the globe is one of enormous strategic importance for any party engaged in international warfare. But who were the first Icelanders and where did they from? In October 2008, the Icelandic banking system collapsed, prompting Iceland to seek large loans from the International Monetary Fund and friendly countries. This would have consequences regarding soil arability that has lasted until today. The next decade of significant interest in Iceland is the 1980s. In the years preceding and immediately after independence, a wave of Icelandic nationalism had begun to find its footing in the Icelandic psyche, a cultural invention rooted mainly in the sagas. Following this, the Icelanders became Lutherans and remain largely so to this day. Photo fromWikimedia,Creative Commons, by the Arni Magnusson Institute. Gaining independence meant that Iceland had to reinvent its position on the world stage as culturally separate from the Danish and its relationship with the rest of mainland Europe. They acquired such fine things as gems, silver, jewelry, and wine from Byzantium. According to tradition the first Viking to discover Iceland was a man named Naddoddur who got lost while on his way to the Faeroe Islands. Although the island was not populated until the Viking Age, Iceland probably had been known to people long before that time. Another source mentioning the Papar is slendingabk, dating from between 1122 and 1133. Iceland finally became a republic on June 17, 1944, when 97 percent of voting Icelanders opted in favor of independence from Denmark. To avoid a civil war in Iceland, the pagan lawspeaker Thorgeir Thorkelsson was elected to decide whether Iceland should become a Christian country. A great deal of development was undertaken throughout this period, namely Keflavik International Airport, Reykjavik Domestic Airport, harbors, hospitals, and road networks. The first Icelandic bishop, sleifur Gissurarson, was consecrated by bishop Adalbert of Hamburg in 1056. Settlements from that era have been found in southwest Greenland and eastern Canada, and sagas such as Saga of Erik the Red and Greenland saga speak of the settlers' exploits. Greek and Roman literature mentions the land of Thule, and some have speculated this may have referred to Iceland. In Icelandic, this event is known as the kristnitaka literally, "the taking of Christianity". After centuries of building pressure, Eyjafjallajokulls eruption would go on to shape Icelands future, causing an enormous ash cloud that halted air traffic over mainland Europe while simultaneously triggering the countrys burgeoning tourist industry. Much of Harald's biography is uncertain. During this time, Iceland remained independent, a period known as the Old Commonwealth, and Icelandic historians began to document the nation's history in books referred to as sagas of Icelanders. Those who came were largely clans who did not wish to bend the knee to the first Christian King of Norway, Harald Fairhair. The Kingdom of Denmark (1814-1979) The Home Rule of Greenland (since 1979) Part of the Kingdom of Norway, from 1261 to 1814 [ edit] Greenland as an integral part of Norway under the Monarchy of Norway From the 1260s, the Norse colony on Greenland recognised the King of Norway as their overlord. Following the Second World War, Iceland was a founding member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and joined the United Nations one year after its establishment. [17] The Germans did not engage in much fishing themselves, but they owned fishing boats, rented them to Icelanders and then bought the fish from Icelandic fishermen to export to the European Continent. [22][23][24], Iceland was part of neutral Denmark during the war. Learn about tourism in Iceland, the economy, the geography, and some fun facts How difficult is it for international students to study in Iceland? During this time, the population declined. Home rule was introduced in 1904, and in 1918 Iceland became an independent and sovereign state in personal union with Denmark. Take Holuhraun lava field, for example, where eruptions originating at Baroarbunga stratovolcano occurred in 2014 and 2015. The Icelandic language testifies to the same origin; Icelandic is a Nordic language and is most closely related to the dialects of western Norway. What once resembled an overgrown Scandinavian village has given way to the hurried construction of luxury hotels, visitor centers, and tourist stops. Sverrir Jakobsson. Iceland has also been utilizing its resources for green energy production and has built numerous geothermal power plants and dams for hydroelectric power stations. There was no resistance, but the government protested against what it called a "flagrant violation" of Icelandic neutrality, though Prime Minister Hermann Jnasson called on Icelanders to treat the British troops with politeness, as if they were guests. 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