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Denmark Greenland
First posted on June 12th 2002, last revised on September 18th 2010
The Norwegian settlement of Iceland began in 874 (the Viking settlers, upon their arrival, found Irish monks residing on the island). By 930 Iceland gave itself a democratic constitution, centered on the Althingi, an assembly meeting at Thingvellir. Iceland's Althingi in c. 1000 accepted Christianity; two bishoprics were established with seats at Skalholt and Holar.
In 1262 Iceland accepted the suzerainty of the Kings of Norway, and became a Norwegian sideland. Iceland was severely affected by the Little Ice Age. Norway being in a dynastic union with Denmark from 1380 to 1815, Iceland's dependency shifted from one on Norway to one on Denmark. The Reformation was introduced on Iceland 1541-1550.
In the 18th century, Iceland suffered from a severe crisis. Lacking a fleet of her own, and import and export trade being a monopoly of a Danish company, the situation was exacerbated by the eruption of Laki Volcano in 1783. From 1798 onward, Icelanders campaigned for termination of the Danish trade monopoly. An Icelandic national movement emerged. The Althingi, abolished in 1800, was reestablished (in reformed shape) in 1843. In 1874 home rule was achieved. In 1944 (at that time, Denmark was under German occupation), Iceland proclaimed independence.

since 1990 . 1969-1990 . 1945-1969
1939-1945 . 1918-1939 . 1874-1918 . 1815-1874 . 1789-1815 . 1662-1789 . 1602-1662 . 1537-1602

Historical Atlas, Iceland Page
Demographic History : Iceland


Students' Papers : Kim Shin, Early Years of the Little Ice Age in Northern Europe 1300-1500 (KMLA 2007), on Iceland : Chapter III, Cod Migration and the Discovery of the New World








E x t e r n a l . F i l e s
Country Profiles Links, Portals Organizations Accounts of History Politics Military History Economic History
Social History Ethnography History of Religion Regional History Local History Institutions Culture
Biography Others
D o c u m e n t s
Historical Data Documents Institutions National Symbols
P r i n t e d . R e f e r e n c e
Bibliographies Online Libraries Online Journals General Accounts Specific Topics Historical Dictionaries Others



WEB-BIBLIOGRAPHY . . . EXTERNAL FILES
Country Profiles modern from CIA World Factbook; BBC Country Profiles; World Desk Reference ; from Nations Encyclopedia; from Wikipedia
Country Profile : Iceland, from Index Mundi
historical Uno von Troil, Letters on Iceland, 1780, GB
Elise C. Otte, Denmark and Iceland (1881), posted on Internet Archive
Links General from Library of Congress, Portals to the World; from Iceland Worldwide, from Cyndi's List
on History from Virtual Library History
Organizations Association of Islandic Historians, from Euroclio
The History Teachers?Association of Iceland, from Euroclio
Historical Dictionaries
Timelines from BBC News
from timelines.ws, based mainly on US newspaper articles; from EFTA Secretariat; from Iceland on the Web
Category : Years in Iceland, from Wikipedia
Accounts of History General, Modern Article History if Iceland, from Wikipedia; Iceland, a brief history, from Scantours
General, Historical A.L. von Schlözer, Isl?dische Litteratur und Geschichte, vol.1, 1773, in German, GB
J. Nicoll, An historical and descriptive account of Iceland, Greenland, and the Faroe Islands (1840), posted on Internet Archive
Specific Periods M. Stephensen, Island i det attende aarhundrede, 1808, in Danish, GB
Articles Settlement of Iceland, Icelandic Commonwealth (930-1262), Christianization of Iceland, Age of the Sturlungs, The Turkish Abductions (1627), Jørgen Jørgensen (1809), Icelandic Independence Movement, Invasion of Iceland (1940), Iceland during World War II, Cod Wars, 2008-2010 Icelandic Financial Crisis, from Wikipedia
Politics Political Resources on the Net : Iceland; Article Politics of Iceland, from Wikipedia; For the Record 2000 : Iceland, from UN Human Rights System
Article Elections in Iceland, from Wikipedia
Economy & Finances A Global History of Currencies : Iceland
Article Whaling in Iceland, Cod Wars, 2008-2010 Icelandic Financial Crisis, from Wikipedia
Iceland's History iof Whaling, from WCDS
The Icelandic Economy, from Glitnir
Stock Market in Iceland, from Gateway to Iceland
J.S. Plum, Historien om min Handel paa Island: mine Søereiser og Hendelser i Anledning af Islands almindelige Ansøgning til Kongen om udvidende Handelsfriheder m. fl. 1799, in Danish, GB
H. Einarsson, Om værdie-beregning paa landsviis og tiende-ydelsen i island, 1833, on Danish, GB
Ethnography Languages of Iceland, from Ethnologue
World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples : Iceland
Social History
Religion Chronology of Catholic Dioceses : Iceland, from Kirken i Norge; Article Religion in Iceland, from Wikipedia
History of the Jews in Iceland, from Wikipedia; Iceland and the Jewish Question until 1940, by Snorri G. Bergsson; Iceland, the Jews and Anti-Semitism 1625-2004, by Vilhjalmur Örn Vilhjalmsson; The Virtual Jewish History Tour : Iceland; Iceland, from International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies - Cemetery Project
Iceland, from Roman Catholic Hierarchy
Patron Saint Index : Iceland
Local History History of Reykjavik, from Visit Reykjavik; from Wikipedia
I.C. Hannah, Capitals of the northlands, tales of ten cities (1914), posted on Internet Archive
Institutions Iceland, from Airline History
History of RUV (Radio Iceland)
Structurae : Iceland
Search Lighthouse Explorer for Iceland
Culture Articles : Iceland at the Olympics, Categories : Sport in Iceland, Handball in Iceland, from Wikipedia
The Icelandic National Costume Board
Biographies Biographies of Icelandic Saints, from Ökumenisches Heiligenlexikon (Ecumenical Lexicon of Saints, in German)
List of Icelanders, from Wikipedia
Others Alcohol and Drugs History Society : Iceland
Disaster History by Country : Iceland, from Relief Web

WEB-BIBLIOGRAPHY . . . EXTERNALLY POSTED DOCUMENTS
Historical Data Lists of Statesmen from World Statesmen (B. Cahoon); from Rulers (B. Schemmel); from World Rulers (E. Schulz, illustrated); Political Leaders of Iceland, from ZPC, including party leaders
Lists of Bishops List of Holar Bishops, List of Skalholt Bishops, from Wikipedia
Lists of Ambassadors Heads of Canadian Legation / Embassy in Reykjavik (since 1949), from MOFA Canada
Population Figures Historical Population Statistics : Iceland, from Population Statistics, by Jan Lahmeyer
Iceland, from City Population
Historical Abortion Statistics - Iceland, from Johnston's Archive
Inflation Rates Historical Inflation Rates, from Index Mundi, since 2000
Election Results from Psephos (since 1996); from IFES Election Guide (since 1999)
Lijphart's Elections Archive : Iceland
Documents Historical Newspapers Kranten Historisch [historical newspapers], scroll down for IJsland (Iceland)
Life Magazine, 1936-1972, Search for "Iceland", search all issues; 500 Iceland articles, GB
Timarit, Icelandic Server of Historical Newspapers
Modern Newspapers links from Online Newspapers, from World Newspapers
Newsreels British Pathe
Wochenschau-Archiv (in German)
Archief Beeld en Geluid : Polygoon (in Dutch)
Image Databanks Europeana
Wikimedia Commons
License Plates, from Francoplaque, from License Plates of the World
Passport, from World Passports
Airline Timetable Images : Iceland
Archival Deposits
Constitutions, Laws List of Ratifications of International Labour Conventions by Iceland, from ILO, 22 docs. since 1945
Free Trade Agreements signed by Iceland, from Icelandic Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in Icelandic; list of treaties, some linked
Internet Law Library : Iceland
Verfassungen Islands (Constitutions of Iceland), from verfassungen.eu, in German
A collection of royal ordinances, etc., concerning Iceland, 1828-1847, in Danish, GB
Codex juris Islandorum antiqvissimus vol.1, 1829, vol.2, 1829, GB
Magn? Ketilsson, Kongelige allernaadigste Forordninger og aabne Breve som til Island ere udgivne af de Hoist-priselige Konger af den Oldenborgiske Stamme, part 1, 1776, part 2, 1778, part 3, 1787, in Danish, GB
Treaties Iceland, pp.1149-1208 in vol.8 of Treaties and Other International Agreements of the United States of America 1776-1949, 1971, GB
Document Collections Primary Documents of the History of Iceland, from Eurodocs
Snorri Sturlosson, Heimskringla: The Chronicle of the Kings of Norway , 1978, GB
M. Stephenson, Forvar for Islands fornærmede Øvrighed : samt for dets almindelige Ansøgning om udvidede Handels-Friheder, 1798, in Danish, GB
Historical Maps click here
Historical
Encyclopedia Entries 		General Articles Iceland, from EB 1911
Articles Island, Hekla, Holar, Skalholt, from Meyers Konversationslexikon 1885-1892 edition, in German
Religious Articles Iceland, from Catholic Encyclopedia 1907-1914 edition
Economic
Geographical Entry : Iceland, pp.109-135, in : T.G. Smollett, The Present State of the World, vol.1 1768, posted on Google Books
Historical Iceland, pp.418-420 in vol.2 of S. Maulder, The history of the world, 1856, GB
Parliamentary Debates Folketinget, Dokumenter, 2004/2005-, in Danish
Hansard (British Parliament)
Travelogues Travels in 19th Century Iceland, by Ed Jackson
W.J. Hooker, Journal of a tour in Iceland in the summer of 1809, 1811, GB
J.St. MacKenzie, Travels in the island of Iceland: during the summer of the year MDCCCX , 1811, GB
J. Barrow, A visit to Iceland : by way of Tronyem, in the "Flower of Yarrow" yacht, 1835, GB
J.E. Cross, A yacht voyage to Iceland, in 1853, 1854, GB
A. Bryson, Notes of a trip to Iceland in 1862, 1864, GB
C.W. Paijkull, A summer in Iceland , 1868, GB
Residence Memoirs E. Henderson, Iceland: or, The journal of a residence in that island, during the years 1814 and 1815, vol.1, 1818, vol.2, 1818, GB
Institutions Archives Repositories of Primary Sources : Europe : Iceland, from Univ. of Idaho. Mostly Archive Webpages, 5 entries
Historical Research in Europe, listing of archives; click Atlas Search, Iceland, 16 entries
Musea National Museum of Iceland; Saga Museum, from Randburg
Monuments Tentative List : Iceland, World Heritage List, scroll down for Iceland; from UNESCO World Heritage
Iceland Index, from Showcaves
Libraries Libraries on Iceland, from LibDex, 14 entries
History of the Icelandic National Library, from The European Library
National Symbols Flags, Coats of Arms Flag, from FOTW; Coat of Arms, from International Civic Heraldry; National Anthem, from National Anthems Net
Coins, Banknotes Banknotes, from World Currency Museum; from Ron Wise's World Paper Money
Icelandic Coins, from Ilmarengo
Stamps Rare Icelandic Stamps, from Sandafayre Stamp Gallery

PRINTED REFERENCE
Bibliographies general Datenbasis Internationale Beziehungen und Länderkunde (Data Base on International Relations and Country Studies) (site in German, most titles listed in English; numerous entries; publications mostly since 1970)
RHS Bibliography
UK National Archive Online Library
on Iceland University of Iceland Press
The Icelandic National Bibliography; The British Library, Icelandic Collections
Search RHS Bibliography for Iceland
Search UK National Archive Online Library for Iceland
Online Libraries general Internet Archives
Gutenberg Library Online
e-corpus
on Scandinavia Scandinavian Digital Libraries and Projects, from Wess Web
Electronic Resources of the Royal Library (Copenhagen); Project Runeberg; Internet Archive
DEFF, Denmark's Electronic Research Library
Online Journals full text online
Contents Online Scandinavian Journal of History Index 1985-1995, from H-net
Registre for Handels- og Søfartsmuseets årbøger
General Accounts Gunnar Karlsson, The History of Iceland, Univ. of Minnesota Press 2000, 384 pp.; KMLA Lib. Sign. 949.12 K18h
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 15th edition, Macropaedia : Iceland, Vol.20 pp.760-768; KMLA Lib. Sign. R 032 B862n v.17
Specific Topics Svend Gissel e.a. (ed.), Desertion and Land Colonization in the Nordic Countries c. 1300-1600, Stockholm : Almqvist & Wiksell 1981 [G]