Iceland Timeline
850: Naddoddur, a Norwegian Viking, lands in Reyðarfjörður, East Iceland. He calls the land Snæland - Snowland.
860: Norsemen discover Iceland. Flóki Vilgerðarson, the great Norwegian Viking known as Hrafna-Flóki (Ravens-Floki), spends two winters in Iceland. During the cold spring, Flóki sees a fjord full of sea ice northwards and names the land Ísland - Iceland. The summer after, he sails back to Norway.
874: Ingólfur Arnarson, a rich and influential Norwegian chieftain sails to Iceland and settles in Reykjavik.
930:
1000: Christianity adopted into Iceland.
1200s: Icelanders begin to write down the Old Norse sagas for the first time. Until now, the epic poems, legends and historical tales were memorized and recited.
1264: After many attempts, Norway takes control of Iceland. The move ends bloody civil wars between settlers.
1380: Norway and Iceland come under Denmark's control.
1402 – 1404: The Black Death plague devastates Iceland.
1600s: Pirates from England, Spain and Algeria raid the coasts and ruin Iceland's trade economy.
1800: The Althing, the world's first parliament, is abolished.
1915: Iceland gets its current flag. It is a blue flag with a red and white Scandinavian Cross.
860: Norsemen discover Iceland. Flóki Vilgerðarson, the great Norwegian Viking known as Hrafna-Flóki (Ravens-Floki), spends two winters in Iceland. During the cold spring, Flóki sees a fjord full of sea ice northwards and names the land Ísland - Iceland. The summer after, he sails back to Norway.
874: Ingólfur Arnarson, a rich and influential Norwegian chieftain sails to Iceland and settles in Reykjavik.
930:
- 870–930: The Settlement of Iceland. An estimated 30,000-40,000 people had settled in Iceland.
- 930: Chieftains from across Iceland gather in Thingvellir to form the Althing, the world's first parliament, or congress.
1000: Christianity adopted into Iceland.
1200s: Icelanders begin to write down the Old Norse sagas for the first time. Until now, the epic poems, legends and historical tales were memorized and recited.
1264: After many attempts, Norway takes control of Iceland. The move ends bloody civil wars between settlers.
1380: Norway and Iceland come under Denmark's control.
1402 – 1404: The Black Death plague devastates Iceland.
1600s: Pirates from England, Spain and Algeria raid the coasts and ruin Iceland's trade economy.
1800: The Althing, the world's first parliament, is abolished.
1915: Iceland gets its current flag. It is a blue flag with a red and white Scandinavian Cross.
Iceland was discovered by accident. Upon discovery, people went back and forth about whether they liked it or not. This included a lot of vikings traveling back and forth from Norway to Iceland. By 930, enough people decided they actually liked it enough to settle there. By this time there was an estimated 30,000 - 40,000 people settled in Iceland. Naturally, when a population grows, rules and regulations are needed. This resulted in the establishment of the world's first parliament called Althing. One of the huge conflicts resolved by Althing was the matter of Iceland's main religion. At this time, there was much conflict in the parliament over religion and beliefs, so it was decided by the leader that the national religion of Iceland would be Christianity. After this development, Iceland progresses and then succumbs to tragic events. Icelanders begin writing down stories instead of telling them orally, they start learning how to live life under the rule of Norway. This was relatively short lived, however. A century later, Denmark gains control of both Iceland and Denmark. Soon after, the Black Plague makes its way to Iceland and decimates half of the population on the island. After this, pirates destroy the economy and The Althing is dismantled. However, there is a bright spot when, in 1915, Iceland got its current flag. Iceland had a rough time from start to finish. From pillaging vikings... to progress... to conflicts... to pillaging pirates... to progress (again). However, everything good and bad that happened helped to shape this remarkable and progressive country into what it has become today.
Brief Timeline of Iceland
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