This is a timeline of Icelandic history, comprising important legal and territorial changes and political events in Iceland and its predecessor states. To read about the background to these events, see history of Iceland.
Year | Event |
---|---|
860 | Naddoðr discovers Iceland. He was heading to the Faroe Islands but drifted off course and landed near Reyðarfjörður in Iceland. As he returned to his boat it started to snow and thereby he reputedly named the land Snæland (lit. Snowland).[citation needed] |
Garðarr Svavarsson discovers Iceland. Blown from a storm near the Orkney Islands. He circumnavigated Iceland, thus the first to establish that the landmass was an island. He stayed for one winter in Skjálfandi. He praised the new land and called it Garðarshólmi (lit. Garðar's Islet).[citation needed] | |
<870 | Hrafna-Flóki Vilgerðarson becomes the first Scandinavian to deliberately sail to Iceland as news of a country in the west reached Norway.[1][2] When Hrafna-Flóki climbed a mountain in Vatnsfjörður he spotted drift ice in a fjord that inspired the name of the country, Ísland (lit. Iceland).[3] |
874 | Ingólfr Arnarson becomes the first permanent Nordic settler of Iceland.[4] The settlement of Iceland begins.[5] |
Year | Event |
---|---|
930 | The Icelandic Commonwealth is founded with the establishment of the Icelandic parliament (Althing), which had legislative and judicial power,[6] but no executive power was present in the country.[7] |
Year | Event |
---|---|
1000 | The Christianisation of Iceland is initiated due to pressure from the King of Norway.[8] |
> 1000 | The Fifth Court is established as an appellate court for the quarter courts of Iceland.[9] |
1056 | Ísleifur Gissurarson becomes the first bishop of Skálholt.[10] |
1096 | A tithe is instigated by the church authorities.[11] |
Year | Event |
---|---|
1104 | The volcano Hekla erupts, resulting in the devastation of Þjórsárdalur.[12] |
1106 | Jón Ögmundsson becomes the first Bishop of Hólar.[13] |
1112 | Þingeyraklaustur is founded as the first cloister in Iceland. Jón Ögmundsson, Bishop of Hólar, founded the cloister in 1112 but it was not formally established until 1133.[14] |
1122 | Ari Þorgilsson begins to write the historical work Book of Icelanders.[15] |
Year | Date | Event |
---|---|---|
1208 | 9 September | The Battle of Víðines takes place. Kolbeinn Tumason is mortally wounded.[16] |
1238 | 21 August | The Battle of Örlygsstaðir takes place.[17] Sturla Sighvatsson and Sighvatr Sturluson are killed.[18] |
1244 | 25 June | The Battle of the Gulf takes place.[19] |
1246 | 19 April | The Battle of Haugsnes takes place.[20] |
1253 | 22 October | The Flugumýri Arson takes place.[21] |
1258 | Unknown | Gissur Þorvaldsson is appointed Jarl of Iceland by the King of Norway. The appointment aimed to further solidify the king's control over Iceland which was still independent. Gissur Þorvaldsson was also given domain over Southern farthing, Northern farthing and Borgarfjörður which had previously been seceded to the king by their respective chieftains.[22] |
1262 | Unknown | The Old Covenant is delivered to Iceland. The agreement made Icelanders subjects of the King of Norway and gave Icelanders and Norwegians equal rights in each other's countries. It received its first signatures in 1262 and went into effect in 1264 after receiving its final signatures.[23] |
Year | Date | Event |
---|---|---|
1397 | 17 June | The Kalmar Union is established. The kingdoms of Denmark, Norway, Sweden and their respective dependencies joined in a personal union.[24] |
Year | Event |
---|---|
1402 | The Black Death hits Iceland for the first time.[25] It is estimated that half of the population died in the years 1402–1404.[26] |
1433 | Jöns Gerekesson, bishop of Skálholt, is killed.[27] |
1494 | The Black Death hits Iceland for the second time.[25] It is estimated that half of the population died in the years 1494–1495.[26] |
Year | Event |
---|---|
1501 | English merchants plunder Bessastaðir.[citation needed] |
1513 | Leiðarhólmsskrá.[citation needed] |
1522 | Sveinsstaðafundur.[citation needed] |
1539 | Gissur Einarsson is made bishop.[citation needed] |
1541 | The Skálholt see turns Lutheran.[citation needed] |
1550 | Bishop Jón Arason and his sons are beheaded in Skálholt.[citation needed] |
1551 | The Hólar see turns Lutheran.[citation needed] |
1559 | The English are driven from Vestmannaeyjar.[citation needed] |
1571 | Guðbrandur Þorláksson becomes bishop of Hólar.[citation needed] |
1584 | Guðbrandsbiblía, the first Icelandic bible, is published.[citation needed] |
Year | Event |
---|---|
1602 | The King of Denmark grants Danish merchants monopoly on trade with Iceland.[citation needed] |
1615 | The Slaying of the Spaniards take place.[citation needed] |
1625 | The first person, Jón Rögnvaldsson, is burnt alive for witchcraft.[citation needed] |
1627 | The Turkish Abductions occur. Hundreds of Icelanders are kidnapped by Barbary pirates.[28] |
1639 | Brynjólfur Sveinsson becomes bishop of Skálholt.[citation needed] |
1656 | Kirkjuból witch trial.[29] |
The Flateyjarbók manuscript is sent to Denmark.[citation needed] | |
1662 | Icelanders are made to accept the absolute monarchy of the King of Denmark.[citation needed] |
1666 | The Passion Psalms are composed by Hallgrímur Pétursson.[citation needed] |
Year | Date | Event |
---|---|---|
1703 | First Icelandic census.[citation needed] | |
1707 | The Bubonic plague spreads in Iceland. A quarter of the population dies.[citation needed] | |
1712 | Jarðabók is completed.[citation needed] | |
1720 | The manuscripts of Árni Magnússon are moved to Denmark.[citation needed] | |
1760 | Icelanders start exporting salted fish to Spain.[citation needed] | |
1783 | The Mist Hardships occur. A volcanic eruption at Laki destroys a great deal of the livestock in Iceland, causing famine and misery. 20-25% of Iceland perishes.[30][31][32] | |
1787 | Danish trade monopoly ceases.[citation needed] | |
1800 | 6 June | The Althing is abolished.[citation needed] |
Year | Date | Event |
---|---|---|
1801 | The bishoprics of Skálholt and Hólar are united, located in Reykjavík.[citation needed] | |
1805 | The Bessastaðaskóli is founded.[citation needed] | |
1807 | Trade with Danish Iceland all but disappears due to the invasion of the English and their capture of the neutral Danish fleet at Copenhagen, they had credible intel that Napoleon using the Continental System was going to seize that fleet and invade England.[33][34] It was part of the Napoleonic Wars. | |
1809 | Jørgen Jørgensen seizes power in Iceland and declares independence, but is deposed by the Danes shortly afterwards.[citation needed] | |
1835 | The first copy of Fjölnir is published.[citation needed] | |
1841 | Jón Sigurðsson starts publishing New Associated Writings.[citation needed] | |
1843 | 8 March | The King of Denmark orders the Althing to be resurrected.[citation needed] |
1845 | 1 July | The Althing is resurrected, and the house of the Menntaskóli í Reykjavík is opened.[citation needed] |
1851 | National Assembly of 1851.[citation needed] | |
1855 | The Danes grant Icelanders free trade.[citation needed] | |
1871 | The Danish Parliament passes the Stöðulög laws.[citation needed] First women's secondary school Kvennaskólinn í Reykjavík is founded by Thora Melsted. | |
1874 | The King of Denmark visits Iceland and grants Icelanders a constitution. 1000 years of settlement celebrated throughout the country.[citation needed] | |
1875 | First session of the restored Althing which has the power to pass laws. The Askja volcano erupts.[citation needed] The Woman's association Thorvaldsensfélagið is founded. | |
1880 | The climate grows much colder, driving many Icelanders to emigrate to the New World.[citation needed] | |
1894 | Foundation of the Hið íslenska kvenfélag and the start of the women's movement on Iceland. |
Year | Date | Event |
---|---|---|
1907 | Foundation of the Icelandic Women's Rights Association. | |
1915 | Universal suffrage.[citation needed] | |
1916 | The political parties Social Democratic Party and Progressive Party are founded.[citation needed] | |
1918 | 1 December | Iceland becomes a sovereign, independent nation. The Danish King remains head of state.[citation needed] |
1922 | Jarðræktarlögin.[citation needed] | |
1929 | The Icelandic Independence Party is founded.[citation needed] | |
1930 | 20 December | The Icelandic Communist Party is founded. The Icelandic State Radio begins broadcasting.[citation needed] |
1939 | Following the occupation of Denmark by Nazi Germany, a national emergency government is formed under Sveinn Björnsson.[citation needed] | |
1940 | 10 May | The British invade, violating Icelandic neutrality.[citation needed] |
1941 | 7 July | The United States Army, still officially neutral, replaces the British occupation force.[citation needed] |
1944 | 17 June | Iceland becomes an independent republic, severing the last political ties to Denmark. Sveinn Björnsson becomes president.[citation needed] |
1946 | The Keflavik Agreement.[citation needed] | |
1948 | Iceland receives Marshall Aid from the United States.[citation needed] | |
1949 | 30 March | Riots break out on Austurvöllur.[citation needed] |
4 April | Iceland joins the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.[citation needed] | |
1951 | The United States Army establishes a base in Keflavík.[citation needed] | |
1952 | 1 August | Exclusive economic zone extended to 4 nautical miles. Ásgeir Ásgeirsson becomes president.[citation needed] |
1958 | Exclusive economic zone extended to 12 nautical miles.[citation needed] | |
1963 | 14 November | Volcanic eruption forms Surtsey.[citation needed] |
1966 | 30 September | The Icelandic State Television begins its first broadcasts.[citation needed] |
1968 | 1 August | Kristján Eldjárn becomes president. Collapse of the fishing industry.[citation needed] |
1970 | 1 January | Iceland joins the European Free Trade Association.[citation needed] |
1972 | Exclusive economic zone extended to 50 nautical miles.[citation needed] | |
1973 | 23 January | Volcanic eruption in Vestmannaeyjar.[citation needed] |
1975 | Exclusive economic zone extended to 200 nautical miles.[citation needed] | |
1980 | 1 August | Vigdís Finnbogadóttir becomes president of Iceland, the first woman in the world to become elected head of state.[citation needed] |
1994 | 1 January | Iceland joins the European Economic Area.[citation needed] |
1996 | 1 August | Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson becomes president.[citation needed] |
Year | Date | Event |
---|---|---|
2000 | 17–21 June | Southern Iceland is hit by two earthquakes, the first 6.6 ML and the second 6.5 ML. There were no fatalities but a few people were injured and there was some considerable damage to infrastructure. |
2004 | 2 June | The president of Iceland, Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, refuses to sign a bill from the parliament for the first time in the nation's history.[citation needed] |
2005 | 21 March | Bobby Fischer moves to Iceland after having been granted an Icelandic passport and full citizenship.[35][36] |
2006 | 30 September | The United States Army abandons the military base in Keflavík, thus ending a 55-year U.S. military presence in Iceland.[citation needed] |
2008 | 29 May | A doublet earthquake strikes southern Iceland with a composite magnitude of 6.1 MW[37] |
September | Iceland faces financial crisis following the collapse of the country's three major commercial banks.[citation needed] | |
2009 | 26 January | After months of rallies outside the parliament building the Icelandic government resigns.[citation needed] |
1 February | After the collapse of the government, Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir becomes the first female Prime Minister of Iceland and the world's first openly gay head of government of the modern era.[38] | |
16 July | The parliament narrowly passes a bill authorising the government to apply for EU membership.[citation needed] | |
2010 | 5 January | The president of Iceland, Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, refuses to sign a bill from the parliament for the second time in the nation's history.[citation needed] |
20–23 March | Volcanic eruption of Eyjafjallajökull.[39] | |
2011 | 20 February | The president of Iceland, Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, refuses to sign a bill from the parliament for the third time in the nation's history.[citation needed] |
21–28 May | Volcanic eruption of Grímsvötn.[40] | |
2016 | 4 April | Panama Papers reveal that Prime Minister Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson had links to private companies dealing in offshore tax havens, resulting in a call for a snap election"[41] |
1 August | Guðni Th. Jóhannesson becomes president of Iceland. | |
2024 | 1 June | Halla Tómasdóttir won the 2024 Icelandic presidential election and will assume office on August.[42] |