< WHKMLA : History of Iceland, 870-1262









Viking State



Iceland, first discovered by Vikings ca. 860, was settled by Norwegian Vikings in the years 870-930. Irish monks inhabiting the island have either been expelled or enslaved. The process of settlement was recorded in the LANDNAMABOK.
In 930 the Icelanders established a constitution, with the ALTHINGI, a combination of high court and parliament, meeting annually at Thingvellir, under open sky. The Icelandic SAGAS, recorded in the 13th century, are a rich and unique source on Viking era history. The country accepted christianity peacefully, by a resolution of Althingi, around 1000 A.D., bishoprics established at SKALHOLT in 1056 and at HOLAR in 1106. In 1263, Iceland had to acknowledge Norwegian sovereignty.






EXTERNAL
FILES 		A Brief History of Iceland, from Iceland.org
Christianisation of Iceland, from Kristni
History of Althingi, by Althingi
REFERENCE The North Atlantic Saga, in : Historical Atlas of the Vikings, by John Haywood, London : Penguins 1995, pp.86-99, illustrated, concise, scholarly


This page is part of World History at KMLA
First posted in 2000, last revised on November 8th 2004

Click here to go Home
Click here to go to Information about KMLA, WHKMLA, the author and webmaster
Click here to go to Statistics