History History

Even if the official texts affirm that Iceland was discovered in the 8th century by Irish monks, historians think that this arrival on the island would correspond to the period of the fabulous navigations of these religious, between 577 and 583. However, the monks did not keep the discovery a secret and announced it to the "Scots". Numerous traces attest to the presence of these hermits on the island, notably in caves not far from the village of Hella.

Garðar Svávarsson, a Swedish Viking, landed in Iceland, in the north of the island, after having drifted through heavy storms. He spent the winter at the site of present-day Húsavík, and then left, leaving three of his companions behind, naming Iceland Garðarshólmi (literally 'Garðar's home'). The name of Húsavík would have been given to the town after Garðar had built some houses. But this first attempt at colonisation soon turned into a failure, as the lack of hay could not meet the animals' food needs.

Ingólfur Arnarson, a Viking from Norway, winters on the southwest coast and then settles in a bay that he will name Reykjavík, or "Smoke Bay". This was the beginning of the colonization of Iceland by the Norwegian Vikings, who were forced into exile to escape the tyranny of King Harald I "with the beautiful hair".

The example of colonization set by Ingólfur Arnarson allowed the foundation of a new society of free men characterized by a strong individualism, based above all on law and equality. The expansion of the Viking world was a success this time, surely thanks to the modern technologies employed which allowed the construction of reliable ships, but also thanks to the progressive increase in population which offered greater opportunities to overcome the difficulties of everyday life. As for the fate of the Irish monks, some tend to say that they left the island shortly after the Viking settlement of the island, while others attest that they could have very well remained in Iceland without being influenced.

During the year 930, a unique republican system was established in Iceland, notably through the creation of the Alþing at Þingvellir, the oldest parliamentary assembly in the world.

A parliament of regional chiefs, the Goðars (clan chiefs), met each spring in Þingvellir in the southwest, to make laws and settle disputes, in effect holding federal power. Colonization was coming to an end, while the era of the "Sagas" was beginning. The Sagas enacted laws, but also acted as courts.

Erik the Red, banished from Iceland for committing a murder, discovered Greenland and established an independent colony, which organized a prosperous trade with the rest of the Scandinavian world for four centuries before disappearing into oblivion.

Missionaries from Norway, including a certain Gizzue, arrived in Iceland and proposed to the Alþing to change the country's religion, which caused chaos and divided the island chiefs. However, the Icelanders peacefully adopted Christianity at the annual meeting of the Alþing in the year 1000. This led to the establishment of two bishoprics, one in 1056 at Skálholt and the other in 1106 at Hólar, which became cultural centres for the whole territory. The arrival of Christianity also gave the slaves their freedom around 1100.

The 12th and 13th centuries were characterised by the development of Icelandic and Nordic literature. The priest Ari Þorgilsson wrote the first book on Icelandic history, Íslendingabók ("Book of the Icelanders"). The period of Christianization described above is included, as well as the importance of the law teller, who warns the divided nation of dangers. Various literary traditions appear during this period. The first of these, epic poetry, was quickly replaced by the sagas at the end of the 12th century.

Another work marks this literary period, Heimskringla ("History of the Kings of Norway"), written by Snorri Sturluson. No less than 16 sagas are grouped together in this masterly work, including the reign of King Harald.

The Sturlungar period is also a rich period for Icelandic literature with stories of colonization and clan struggles. In 1241, Snorri Sturluson was assassinated by order of the king of Norway, whose enemy he had made.

Iceland's most brilliant period is gradually coming to an end. From the beginning of the 13th century, the period of peace that had lasted more than 200 years came to an end.

The Sturlungar era was characterized by numerous battles, including the battle of Húnaflói Bay in 1244, known as the "Battle of the Bay", but also by acts of treason and pronounced political instability.

Gissur Þorvaldsson proposed an alternative to stop the chaos that was descending on the island: to accept the Norwegian king as sovereign. Iceland then submitted to the Norwegian crown by signing the "old pact" and lost its independence. The old law was replaced, the rights of the clan chiefs were abolished, counties were created, and those who would rule them were appointed by the king.

During this time, nature did its work, with, in particular, several eruptions of the Hekla volcano in 1300 and 1341. These phenomena led to the death of thousands of inhabitants, destroying the territory and contributing to the development of numerous epidemics. The Black Death from Norway caused the immediate cessation of trade with Iceland in 1349.

This radical change does not affect the country's decline, which continues to worsen.

Nine years later, another eruption of the Hekla volcano occurred, resulting in more loss of life and destruction of wildlife.

An epidemic of the Black Death continues to decimate the population. Nearly two thirds of the island's inhabitants disappeared. It ravaged the island a second time in 1494.

Christian III, King of Denmark, imposed Lutheranism as the religion on the island, whereas Catholicism had become the official religion since the year 1000. Struggles increased and violence invaded the majority of the territory. This conflict only ended with the execution of the Catholic bishop Jón Arason, who died in total injustice in 1550, without trial.

Faced with Iceland's competition in the fishing industry, Denmark further deepened the island's economic recession. It isolated the island and prevented it from trading with the British Isles and the Germanic countries. In order to completely destroy the Icelandic economy, in 1602 Denmark established a trade monopoly with Iceland, which could not trade with other states.

The Alþing lost its legislative power and became a simple court. The Danes imposed an absolutist power

First census in Icelandic history.

Now it is the turn of smallpox to attack Icelanders, after they were targeted by pirates.

The gigantic lava flow and, above all, the tephra, caused by the eruption of Lakagígar, lead to an unprecedented famine. The livestock almost disappeared: 80% of the sheep, 75% of the horses and 50% of the cows died of gas poisoning from this catastrophe. The eruption of Lakagígar alone wiped out almost a quarter of the population. Denmark is unable to provide the necessary aid

The King of Denmark reinstated the Alþing as a consultative chamber with its seat in Reykjavík, whereas it had been abolished in 1801.

The Danish monopoly on Icelandic trade was abolished. The 19th century saw the revival of a true national feeling in Iceland. Jón Sigurðsson was one of the great leaders of the Icelandic independence movement. His journalistic skills caused a stir, especially through the newspaper Ny Felagsrit, founded in 1841, and many credit him with the proclamation of a new constitution granted by Denmark in 1874. In that year, the country celebrated the millennium of the island's settlement with great fanfare. Various events were held and the future national anthem(O God of our Homeland! adopted in 1944) was composed.

Under pressure from nationalist movements, the Danish Crown granted Iceland its own constitution

Due to the disasters that devastated the island and the precarious economic situation, a large part of the population decided to go into exile, notably in Canada and the United States.

Statute of autonomy for Iceland. However, this independence remains imperfect and partial since the country continues to recognize the Danish monarchy.

Iceland is connected to the rest of the world, including Scotland, by a telephone cable.

Iceland granted women the right to vote in 1908, first at the local level and then in 1915 for the election of deputies. This country, where women very quickly enjoyed the same rights as men, is the first example in the world of gender equality, without discrimination.

Iceland became a sovereign state, in close union with Denmark. The Supreme Court was established in 1920. The years went by and the German invasion of Denmark in 1940 gave a new boost to Icelandic independence. The Alþing could now freely assume all the prerogatives of the king and engage in foreign affairs. In that same year, however, the island was not beyond the reach of the German field. Therefore, Great Britain sent its troops to protect the country, to be replaced by the American army the following year. Iceland is indeed based on a strategic geographical position regarding the world conflicts. It became an aircraft carrier for the Allies.

A vote is held to determine whether Icelanders wish to remain in relation with Denmark. The majority refused and Iceland's independence was declared on 17 June. From then on, the country turned resolutely towards the outside world.

Iceland joins the UN.

Iceland is one of the founding members of NATO. But in 1956, the Alþing was refused the withdrawal of American troops from Icelandic territory by NATO.

Iceland experiences the herring crisis, which disappears from the Icelandic coast. The limits of the territorial waters are widened from 3 miles (5.5 km) to 12 miles. Another war was fought, the "cod war" with the British who persisted in fishing in the area. It did not end until 1961, following an agreement on new boundaries.

In 1971, when the ancient manuscripts of the sagas were returned by Denmark, the coalition government that had been in power for 12 years lost its majority to another coalition of progressives, communists and left liberals.

The "cod war" resumed, following an extension of the exclusive fishing zones to 50 nautical miles. A new agreement was reached in October of the following year, with the British having to make some concessions.

This year was marked by the eruption of the Helgafell volcano in the Vestmann Archipelago, but also by a revision of the 1951 American defence pact, particularly with regard to the presence of American troops on the island.

Inauguration of the circular road^No. 1, which allows to go around Iceland. It is still used today to travel around the country, among other things.

Those who thought the "cod war" was over were mistaken. The extension of the territorial waters to 200 nautical miles in 1975 led to a new conflict between Iceland and Great Britain, triggering the fifteenth "cod war", which was finally "won" by Iceland.

Vigdis Finnbogadóttir was democratically elected President of the Republic, the first time in the world that a woman had held such a position. Her successive re-elections confirm the success of this woman in her regal functions.

Beer prohibition ends, two years after a summit between Reagan and Gorbachev in Reykjavík.

Ban on whaling, moratorium confirmed in May in Kyoto. Iceland's request to become a member of the IWC, a world organization that regulates whaling, is rejected several times. It was not until 2002 that its membership became effective.

Iceland is part of the EEA (European Economic Area).

Huge flooding(jökulhlaup) of the desert plain south of Vatnajökull due to a sub-glacial volcanic eruption, and cutting of the circular road^No. 1. As a result of this disaster, the road had to be rebuilt in some places.

Fishing agreements with Norway, Russia, the European Union and the Faroe Islands for herring, and with Norway and Greenland for capelin.

The Icelandic Parliament gives the private company DeCode Genetics (which works with Hoffmann-Laroche) access to the genetic, medical and genealogical data of the country's population. The ban on whaling is lifted.

Hekla volcano erupted on 26 February, followed by two major earthquakes on 17 and 21 June. So far (2021), this is its last known eruption.

Iceland is a Schengen country.

The Grimsvötn volcano, located under the Vatnajökull and considered as one of the most active in Iceland, has awakened again without causing any major upheaval.

The year 2006 marks the end of the presence of the American army on Icelandic soil, a presence that has been the subject of much debate for decades. This indicates the "final end" of the Cold War. Although desired by many inhabitants, this withdrawal did not delight everyone. Indeed, many direct and indirect jobs disappeared and the military base of Keflavik, from now on emptied of its marines, becomes little by little a simple and a little sad giant housing estate. Iceland in full economic dream did not suffer too much from this departure, did not create an army either.

The crisis of 2008 did a lot of damage. The largely virtual economy showed its limits when the world's stock markets went crazy and the speculative bubble burst. The country, which had been enjoying full employment, suddenly had 7,000 unemployed people - many of them immigrant workers who had been called up in large numbers to accompany the country's development. But the country did not give up. Nationalisation of the banks, refusal to pay the debt to Great Britain and the Netherlands, ad hoc monetary policy, everything was done to keep the country afloat.

Faced with the demands of the population, Prime Minister Geir Haarde announced his resignation. A new left-wing government, supported by the Greens, was formed. The replacement, Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir, was the first openly gay woman appointed to the post.

It was the ash from the Eyjafjöll volcano that darkened the European sky and brought world air traffic to a standstill for a fortnight.

The "no" vote was the majority in the referendum held to pass a law providing for the repayment of part of the debt incurred by the online savings bank Icesave to the UK and the Netherlands.

A new constituent assembly of 15 men and 10 women is elected.

The country manages the crisis and its decisions lead it to see positive figures from the beginning of 2011. In 2012, the balance sheet is still positive and the country is cited as an example by many economists around the world. Olafur Grímsson, Iceland's president since 1996, was re-elected for the fifth consecutive time in June.

Iceland's economic recovery is confirmed (growth of 2.8%, unemployment down to 5.4%), but the country remains heavily dependent on exports and the euro area. The consolidation of public finances and the restructuring of private sector debt remain incomplete and fragile.

Bárðarbunga awakens, without major consequences. However, scientists fear an eruption under the glacier covering the volcano, which would cause powerful floods(jökulhlaup) and ash fallout.

In 2015 and 2016, the main economic issue was related to tourism, an industry that saw visitor numbers increase by more than 60% during this period. Hotel construction, parking lot expansions and road renovations accelerated, while glaciers continued to retreat.

Ecological concern becomes one of the major issues of this important turning point in the country's history; this explains, in part, the excellent score achieved by the ecologists in the last parliamentary elections (October 2017).

In 2016, the Icelandic football team (Knattspyrnusamband Íslands) created amazement by reaching the quarter-finals of the Euro. Fervour swept through the country and the spectators as the players heated up the atmosphere at the start of each game with their clapping. They lost 2-5 to France.

Tourism-related statistics are skyrocketing: with less than 1 million visitors in 2014, the country has increased its tourist numbers by nearly 70% in 2 years, with nearly 1.7 million visitors in 2016, and more than 2 million in 2017. And yet, the Icelandic krona has also exploded by 20% against the euro in 2016 alone.

The government led by Bjarni Benediktsson imploded after the withdrawal of the Radiant Future party, a member of the government coalition, and following a scandal involving the Prime Minister.

Early parliamentary elections saw the Independence Party win, without an absolute majority. Following tripartite negotiations, a coalition government led by Katrín Jakobsdóttir (Ecological Party) was established.

The country is making its mark in two areas: equal pay and football. A law was published on¹ January requiring companies with more than 25 employees to pay men and women in the same position the same salary and the same level of productivity. It is now up to the company to justify that the wage gap is not justified by gender difference. In football, Iceland won its first World Cup qualification. They lost 1-2 to Croatia.

The Icelandic airline Wow Air is going bankrupt. This failure of a company that seemed to flourish with an increasingly massive tourism, worries.

To face the coronavirus, Iceland organizes a massive screening of its population. Approximately 10 % will be tested, that is to say more than France or other European countries (in proportion). Thanks to a rigorous follow-up and strict quarantine measures, the country is noticed by its unique management of the epidemic. However, it is also experiencing a significant drop in tourism and income.

Since 2021, the Fagradalsfjall volcanic system on the Reykjanes peninsula has been the focus of several eruptions.

In 2021: after a revival of seismic activity since late 2020, an eruptive fissure was spotted on March 19, 2021 in the Geldingadalir on the eastern flank of Fagradalsfjall. After several fissures opened in the following months, the eruption subsided in mid-September and was declared over on December 18, 2021.

2022: A new eruption took place on August 3, 2022 on the western flank of Meradalahnúkar. Although initially flowing at a rate of over 10^m3/s, the flow quickly weakened and the eruption was short-lived, ending on August 21.

In 2023: a new eruption takes place on July 10, 2023, but quickly ends on August 5. The Icelandic authorities had to close the site several times to limit the risk, as the influx of tourists was considerable.

On November 11, 2023, the inhabitants of Grindavik were evacuated following the creation of several fissures and numerous seismic tremors that suggested an eruption was imminent. Unlike previous eruptions in the area, which took place in remote, uninhabited zones, this eruption threatens to take place in inhabited areas, and risks coming into contact with the sea and generating toxic fumes that could be harmful and disrupt air traffic.

On thenight of December 18 to 19, 2023, a major eruption took place between the Svartsengi geothermal power station and the village of Grindavík, with particularly impressive lava flows.

On October 24, 2023, a general women's strike was launched to combat wage inequality and gender-based violence. The strike was followed by a large number of women, including Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir, and more than a quarter of the Icelandic population took part in the demonstrations organized that day in the capital and in several towns across the country.

The date, October 24, 2023, refers to the first women's strike in Iceland on October 24, 1975. This movement was the first of its kind in the country, and was followed by almost 90% of the country's women, creating a truly global awareness.