The Vikings | The Settlement of Iceland (Lecture 19)

Lecture 18: In the early 9th century, Norwegians discovered and settled the Shetland and Faeroes Islands as bases for their voyages to the British Isles. In c. 870, the Swedish merchant Gardar Svavarrsson was driven off course en route to the Faeroes and discovered Iceland. Gardar, followed by two other early explorers, the Viking Naddod and Raven Floki Vilgerdarson, reported free land for the taking, along with abundant fish, sea mammals, and birds. Within 50 years (from 870–930), 5,000–15,000 settlers, mostly from western Norway and the Norse colonies in the British Isles, settled the vast island. Ari the Learned (r. 1067–1148) records the names of 430 leading settlers in his Landnamabok (“Book of Settlements”).

On this distant island just below the Arctic Circle, the Norse exploited the land for stock-raising and founded isolated farmsteads. They created the first overseas European colonial society governed by customary law and adjudication in local things, or assemblies. Hence, later Icelanders claimed that their ancestors had immigrated to escape the tyranny of King Harald Finehair (r. c. 880–930). In 930, the leading chieftains, known as godar, established a national Althing, which met each summer. This free republic proved a remarkable success in self-government.

Suggested Reading:
Jesse Byock. Viking Age Iceland. New York: Penguin Books, 2001.
M. Magnusson and H. Palsson, trans. Laxdaela Saga. New York: Penguin Books, 1969.
Robert Cook, trans. Njal’s Saga. New York: Penguin Books, 1997.

Lecture 20: https://www.bitchute.com/video/A2TGTdPAMFig/