Culture and History

History

Iceland’s History Timeline

  • 874 – The first official settlement in Iceland
  • 930 – The Icelandic Parliament is founded
  • 965 – The country is officially split up into four quarters
  • 995 – King Olaf first attempt to convert Icelanders to Christianity
  • 999 – Icelanders make the decision to switch to Christianity
  • 1262 – Icelanders submit to the King of Norway
  • 1281 – Jónsbók is published and introduced to Icelanders
  • 1397 – The Kalmar Union is formed under one united King in Denmark. Resulting in Denmark becoming the ruler of Iceland
  • 1550 – The Danish Introduce the Lutheran Religion ending with the death of Jón Arason
  • 1627 – Pirates attack Iceland kidnapping people and selling as slaves
  • 1662 – King of Denmark takes absolute power of the nation
  • 1798 – Last Althing was held at Thingvellir National Park
  • 1844 – The first official election is held for the re-established Althing
  • 1845 – The re-established Althingi convenes
  • 1870 – People start moving from Iceland to Canada, North America, Australia and Brazil
  • 1874 – The Constitution was made
  • 1918 – Iceland becomes a sovereign state in personal union with their formed leaders of Denmark
  • 1940 – The British Army arrived in Iceland
  • 1941 – The US Army takes over from the U.K.
  • 1941 – Icelanders request their full independence
  • 1944 – Modern Republic of Iceland is founded at Thingvellir on the 17. June now celebrated as Iceland’s National Day
  • 1946 – The US military Leaves Iceland
  • 1949  – Iceland becomes one of the founding members of NATO
  • 1950 – The US Military arrives again
  • 1958 – The Cod Wars begin
  • 1968 – The population reached 200,000 for the first time
  • 1976 – The Cod Wars are won by Iceland
  • 1986 – The big meeting at Höfði between Mikhail Gorbachev and Ronald Reagan
  • 1989 – Beer Ban is lifted in Iceland
  • 1989 – Vigdís Vinnbogadóttir is elected president the first female president in the world
  • 2008 – The Economy Crashes
  • 2009 – Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir becomes Iceland first female prime minister (and the world’s first openly gay prime minister).
  • 2010 – Eyjafjallajökull Erupt
  • 2018 – The Icelandic Men’s Soccer Team qualifies for the World Cup, the smallest nation ever to qualify
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