“Iceland was first settled from Norway in the days of Haraldr the Fine-Haired, son of Hálfdan the Black, at the time…when Ívarr, son of Ragnarr loðbrók, had St. Edmund, king of the Angles, killed; and that was 870 years after the birth of Christ, according to what is written in his [Edmund’s] saga.” (Ari Þorgilsson the Learned [1], Íslendsingabók, Chapter 1). [2]
We have discussed elements of this period already, but I think it would be best that we bring it all together before we move on. As we know, Iceland became a very unique place in the medieval world. This period of its history is its first, and a very important time that became a foundation for the identity.
The Settlement Period lasted from about 870 until 930 (a period of 60 years). This period is attested for in sources such as Íslendingabók and Landnámabók. The Settlement Period for Iceland was a period that became very mythical, creating, for the Icelanders, a sort of “Founding Fathers” period for identity. These “Founding Fathers” were called, in Old Icelandic, Landnámsmenn (Settlers). There are two important figures during this period: King Harald Fairhair and Ingolf the Settler (we will talk about these figures in more detail at some point):
KING HARALD FAIRHAIR
Harald was the king of Norway from 885 until 930, which roughly coincided with Iceland’s settlement period. He was the first king of Norway, which caused resentment across the land. According to Snorri Sturluson in Heimskringla, King Harald disturbed age-old customs as he centralized authority in Norway, especially family-based land ownership, called óðal [3]. This is likely the major reason the original settlers so strongly opposed kingship, and used King Harald as a tyrant who forced them from Norway and to seek a new life in Iceland. For the Settlement Period, King Harald was crucial at allowing the landnámsmenn to forge a new identity as Icelanders.
INGOLF ARNARSON (THE SETTLER)
Ingolf was the first recorded landnámsmaðr in Iceland. Infold made two trips to Iceland, the first in 867/868 [4] and the second (resulting in his land-taking) in 870 (according to Ari’s Íslendingabók). There are other dates, such at 874 (according to Landnámabók), but, for this lesson, we will trust Ari. In general, there is a lot of uncertainty in exact dates for this period, but we’ll save historical debates for less concise courses [5]. Ingolf is credited with settling Reyjavík, which means Smokey Bay [6]. Though, during this time, Reykjavík was only a mere farmstead. Ingolf claimed a great deal of land, which he then distributed to later landnámsmenn [7].
Thus, this period was a very crucial time for Iceland. It, perhaps, can explain why Iceland refused a kingship. Yet, it also provides a glimpse into what the old customs of Norway looked like before the coming of kings like Harald. The year 930, which is the date marking the formation of the Alþingi [8], marks the beginning of the Icelandic Commonwealth.
SOURCES AND NOTATIONS
[1] Ari Thorgilsson the Learned (ca. 1068-1148) was an important Icelandic historian and priest. He is the author of Íslendingabók as well as other early works of Icelandic history. For more on Ari, especially in relation to his Íslendingabók, see Siân Grønlie, Íslendingabók and Kristni Saga. (London: Viking Society for Northern Research, 2006), x-xiv.
[2] Ibid., 3.
[3] Jesse L. Byock, Viking Age Iceland. (London: Penguins Books, 2001), 83.
[4] Gunnar Karlsson, The History of Iceland. (Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2000), 12.
[5] Ibid., 13.
[6] Jesse L. Byock, Viking Language 1: Learn Old Norse, Runes, and Icelandic Sagas. (Pacific Palisades, CA: Jules William Press, 2013), 45.
[7] Ibid.
[8] William Ian Miller, Bloodtaking and Peacemaking: Feud, Law, and Society in Saga Age Iceland. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1990), 17.
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