Iceland: Its Names and Its People
By David Ostlund
FJOLIKONAN, Isafold, Fron, Snowland, Gardarsholme, and Iceland are some of the names by which this island has been known. The last three date from the time of its discovery, and concerning them I will speak briefly. The first reference we find in history to the discovery of the island is after the middle of the ninth century. At this time a Viking, Naddoddur by name, started out to find the Faroe Islands. Losing his course and being driven to the northwest, he reached this island, and found it to be what he called “a large land.” But as it was not inhabited, he had no desire to remain, and returned home after a short time. As he left the island, it snowed heavily on the mountain tops. From this fact he called it “Snowland.” The next who visited the island was a Swede, named Gardar Svafarsson. He remained there one winter, and then returned to his own land. He called this new-found land, after his own name, “Gardarsholme,” and had a great deal to say in its praise. A few years later a Norwegian, Hrafna-Floki Vilderdarson, set out on a voyage from Norway to this far-off and uninhabited island. He also remained there one winter. In the spring he went up on one of the highest mountain tops. He saw from this height a fiord full of ice. This he called “Isafjord,” and named the land “Iceland,” by which it is now commonly known. These trips were made in troublous times for Norway. Its many small kingdoms were being dissolved, and the country was being gathered under one king, Harold Haarfagre (872). That Harold had great difficulties to encounter for the accomplishment of his aim, is evident. One of the greatest was the dissatisfaction among the many chiefs of the tribes, who were called upon to give up their authority, and to yield obedience, instead of enforcing it from others. Many of them felt that they had been mistreated by Harold, and that his rule was hard and arbitrary. And when the news of the discovery of this great unpeopled island, which Naddoddur, Gardar, and Hrafna-Floki had visited and later described, reached Norway, there was immediately a desire among these to go to “Iceland” and settle, so that they might be free from the rule of their king. The desire was soon put into action, and in the year 874 the first emigrants began to settle there. The first settlement was made near the river Faxa, in the southwestern part. There the capital, Reykjavik, was afterward built. Their hope of independence was fulfilled, and15they were joined by others from Norway. Some Scotchmen also came over to Iceland and remained there. Hardly more than a year after the settlement of Iceland, two large expeditions for discovery were sent out from the island. In 982 Erik the Red found Greenland, and in 1000 his son discovered America. It is, therefore, proper to say that as regards discoveries by the different countries, Iceland has given large contributions. From the settlement of the island until the middle of the fourteenth century the Icelanders enjoyed their greatest prosperity. They were independent, and ruled themselves. The lawmaking and judiciary power had been gathered at Thingvalla, one of the most beautiful places in the island. Between two large openings in the mountain there was a comparatively small, flat strip of land, surrounded by deep chasms, from which the clearest water flowed forth. This must have been a place full of solemnity, as it is even now, in its natural grandeur. When Norway was united with Denmark in 1830, Iceland was also passed to the latter, and has since remained in the union. The nineteenth century, and especially the latter part, saw many developments for Iceland. Just as Norway experienced her great developments in that century, from the time of the adoption of her constitution in 1814, so it was with Iceland, though on a smaller scale. The island was granted its constitution in 1874. That year was the thousandth anniversary of the settlement of Iceland. This event was celebrated over the whole island. There were special services in all the churches, and a great festival in Thingvalla, and there was great rejoicing for the progress made and the liberty enjoyed.