What was Iceland formerly called
"in the song for the commercial featured the line ""We're at Bejam's too..."" In 2013, Iceland stores appeared in a BBC documentary called """". Iceland was the main sponsor of the ITV reality TV show ""I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!"" from its sixth series in 2006 until its fourteenth series in 2014. In 2014 they announced a sub brand for their stores, ""Food Warehouse"". In 2018 Iceland announced they would end use of palm oil in all their own brand products due to concern over environmental impact of palm oil. In November 2018, Iceland submitted a version of"
"a national referendum established a constitutional republic in its place. The monarchy of Iceland was created by the Act of Union of 1918 which transformed the former Danish overseas possession of Iceland into an independent sovereign constitutional monarchy. Iceland adopted a new constitution following the referendum in 1944 which abolished the monarchy. Although many Danes felt offended that Iceland should take such a step at that time (Denmark at that point was still under Military occupation by Germany), Kristján X sent a message of congratulations to the Icelandic people. Monarchy of Iceland The Monarchy of Iceland (Icelandic: ""Konungsríkið Ísland""; Danish:"
"island and named it ""Garðarshólmi"" (literally ""Garðar's Islet"") and stayed for the winter at Húsavík. The first Scandinavian who deliberately sailed to ""Garðarshólmi"" was Flóki Vilgerðarson, also known as Hrafna-Flóki (Raven-Flóki). Flóki settled for one winter at Barðaströnd. It was a cold winter, and when he spotted some drift ice in the fjords he gave the island its current name, ""Ísland"" (Iceland). Iceland was first settled around 870. The first permanent settler in Iceland is usually considered to have been a Norwegian chieftain named Ingólfr Arnarson. According to the story, he threw two carved pillars overboard as he neared land,"
"Monarchy of Iceland The Monarchy of Iceland (Icelandic: ""Konungsríkið Ísland""; Danish: ""Kongeriget Island""), was the system of government in which an hereditary monarch was the sovereign of the Kingdom of Iceland from 1918 to 1944. Under a personal union, due to the Act of Union, the monarch was simultaneously monarch of Denmark. The Parliament of Iceland asked that Denmark represent Iceland internationally, and day-to-day matters were delegated to a Danish plenipotentiary for Icelandic affairs based in Reykjavík, and – after the German invasion of Denmark in 1940 – a regent was appointed. The monarchy lasted until 17 June 1944, when"
"Nobility in Iceland Nobility in Iceland (Icelandic: ""aðall""; Norwegian: ""adel"") may refer to the following: During the Norse settlement of Iceland, beginning in ca. 874 and lasting until ca. 930, chieftains and aristocratic families from Western and Northern Norway arrived to the island. They had refused to accept Harald I Halfdanson as their high king, instead abandoning their chieftain seats and petty kingdoms and heading west. One of these seats was Borg in Lofoten. In the following centuries Iceland was ruled by a handful of aristocratic families, each controlling their respective part of the island, mainly the Sturlungar, the Ásbirningar,"
"war was approximately 120,000.) Following a constitutional referendum in May 1944, Iceland formally became a republic on 17 June 1944. Many Danes felt offended at its timing, as Denmark was still occupied by Germany. The king in Copenhagen, Christian X, nonetheless sent a message of congratulations to the Icelandic people. Kingdom of Iceland The Kingdom of Iceland (; ) was a constitutional monarchy, a sovereign and independent country that was established by the Act of Union with Denmark signed on 1 December 1918. It lasted until 17 June 1944 when a national referendum established the Republic of Iceland in its"
"divided into two dioceses, Skálholt, established 1056, and Holar in 1106. These continued until 1801, when Iceland became one diocese under one bishop of Iceland, residing in Reykjavík. The country was an independent republic from 930 until 1262. Then Iceland, having suffered civil war and anarchy, came under the rule of the Norwegian king and in 1380 with Norway under the Danish crown. In 1944 Iceland regained its independence as a republic. Three Icelandic churchmen were revered as saints, even though none of them was actually canonized. The most famous of them is Saint Thorlak (Þorlákur Þórhallsson) of Skálholt (1133–1193)."
"Rugby union in Iceland Rugby union is a minor sport in Iceland with a discontinuous history. The ancient Norse had a sport called ""knattleikr""; while this differed substantially from rugby in that it used sticks, it also had a couple of similarities to it in tackling methods and that the ball could be carried. As a purist language, which has almost no modern foreign loanwords, Icelandic has a unique name for rugby, ""Ruðningur"". It is perhaps the only language to use its own name for the sport which is not cognate with ""rugby"". Iceland was formerly a colony of Denmark,"
"Kingdom of Iceland The Kingdom of Iceland (; ) was a constitutional monarchy, a sovereign and independent country that was established by the Act of Union with Denmark signed on 1 December 1918. It lasted until 17 June 1944 when a national referendum established the Republic of Iceland in its place. Because of the Kalmar Union, Iceland had been under the control of the Crown of Denmark since 1380, although formally it had been a Norwegian possession until 1814. In 1874, one thousand years after the first acknowledged settlement, Denmark granted Iceland home rule. The constitution, written the same year,"
"was united with Sweden (1319) and then Denmark (1376). Eventually all of the Nordic states were united in one alliance, the Kalmar Union (1397–1523), but on its dissolution, Iceland fell under Danish rule. The subsequent strict Danish–Icelandic Trade Monopoly in the 17th and 18th centuries was detrimental to the economy. Iceland's resultant poverty was aggravated by severe natural disasters like the Móðuharðindin or ""Mist Hardships"". During this time, the population declined. Iceland remained part of Denmark, but in keeping with the rise of nationalism around Europe in the nineteenth century, an independence movement emerged. The Althing, which had been suspended"
"number of international tournaments. Iceland won the world bridge championship (the Bermuda Bowl) in Yokohama, Japan, in 1991 and took second place (with Sweden) in Hamilton, Bermuda, in 1950. Iceland Iceland ( ) is a Nordic island country in the North Atlantic, with a population of and an area of , making it the most sparsely populated country in Europe. The capital and largest city is Reykjavík, with Reykjavík and the surrounding areas in the southwest of the country being home to over two-thirds of the population. Iceland is volcanically and geologically active. The interior consists of a plateau characterised"
"Icelandic Commonwealth The Icelandic Commonwealth, Icelandic Free State, or Republic of Iceland ( or, less commonly, ""goðaveldið"") was the state existing in Iceland between the establishment of the Alþingi (Althing) in 930 and the pledge of fealty to the Norwegian king with the Old Covenant in 1262. With the probable exception of Papar, Iceland was an uninhabited island until around 870. The medieval Icelandic state had a unique judicial structure. The first settlers of Iceland were greatly influenced by their Norwegian roots when creating their own form of government. They wanted to avoid the strong centralized authority of Harald Fairhair"
"of Denmark, Norway and Sweden. Both Iceland and Sweden were joined as one nation until the dissolution of the union in 1523. After the union, Iceland was ruled by Denmark until obtaining its independence (under a Danish constitutional monarchy) in 1918. On 27 July 1940, both Iceland and Sweden established diplomatic relations. In June 1944, Iceland became a republic and both nations opened embassies in each other's capitals, respectively. During World War II both nations remained officially neutral, however, Iceland was invaded by the allies and used as a base while Sweden unofficially assisted the allies. Since the establishment of"
"History of Iceland The recorded history of Iceland began with the settlement by Viking explorers and their slaves from the east, particularly Norway and the British Isles, in the late ninth century. Iceland was still uninhabited long after the rest of Western Europe had been settled. Recorded settlement has conventionally been dated back to 874, although archaeological evidence indicates Gaelic monks from Ireland, known as papar according to sagas, had settled Iceland before that date. The land was settled quickly, mainly by Norwegians who may have been fleeing conflict or seeking new land to farm. By 930, the chieftains had"
"Icelandic króna The króna (; plural krónur) (sign: kr; code: ISK) is the currency of Iceland. Iceland is the smallest country to have its own currency and monetary policy. Like the Nordic currencies (such as the Danish krone, Swedish krona and Norwegian krone) that participated in the historical Scandinavian Monetary Union, the name ""króna"" (meaning ""crown"") comes from the Latin word ""corona"" (""crown""). The name ""Icelandic crown"" is sometimes used, for example in the financial markets. The word ""eyrir"" derives from Latin ""aureus"" (""golden""), there being historically 100 gold pieces to a crown. The Danish krone was introduced to Iceland"
"led to the first efforts to settle the island. Flóki Vilgerðarson (b. 9th century) was the first Norseman to sail to Iceland intentionally. His story is documented in the Landnámabók manuscript, and he is said to have named the island Ísland (Iceland). The first permanent settler in Iceland is usually considered to have been a Norwegian chieftain named Ingólfur Arnarson. He settled with his family in around 874, at a place he named ""Bay of Smokes"", or Reykjavík in Icelandic. Following Ingólfur, and also in 874, another group of Norwegians set sail across the North Atlantic Ocean with their families,"
"benefit of Icelanders. Some historians, therefore, questioned the authenticity of the Old Covenant itself, citing that it could be an imaginative reconstruction. The earliest copies of the Old Covenant are from the 15th century. Old Covenant (Iceland) The Old Covenant () was the name of the agreement which effected the union of Iceland and Norway. It is also known as ""Gissurarsáttmáli"", named after Gissur Þorvaldsson, the Icelandic chieftain who worked to promote it. The name ""Old Covenant"", however, is probably due to historical confusion. ""Gamli sáttmáli"" is properly the treaty of 1302 mentioned below and the treaty of 1262 is"
"has a cathedral, Christ the King Cathedral (""Dómkirkja Krists Konungs"") in Reykjavík, and a number of smaller churches and chapels in the larger towns around the country. Some of the earliest inhabitants of Iceland were Irish monks, known as ""Papar"". However, the small population was overwhelmed in the eighth and ninth centuries by migrations of Scandinavians, most of whom practised what can loosely be called Germanic paganism. Particularly through the influence of continental missionaries and pressure from the Norwegian king, Iceland officially converted in 999/1000 AD, but the Christianisation of Iceland, as with the rest of Scandinavia, was a long"
"Old Covenant (Iceland) The Old Covenant () was the name of the agreement which effected the union of Iceland and Norway. It is also known as ""Gissurarsáttmáli"", named after Gissur Þorvaldsson, the Icelandic chieftain who worked to promote it. The name ""Old Covenant"", however, is probably due to historical confusion. ""Gamli sáttmáli"" is properly the treaty of 1302 mentioned below and the treaty of 1262 is the actual ""Gissurarsáttmáli"". The agreement also led to a shift in Iceland's political ideology towards the model of monarchy since it diminished the role of its chieftains (""gooi"") as models of political rule. Prior"
"Law of Iceland Law of Iceland during the Commonwealth (930—1262) was decided by the Althing. It has changed over the years but the legislative body is still called Althing. Prior to 1262 the law-code was ""Grágás"". Following the ""Gamli sáttmáli"", Magnus VI of Norway introduced the law-code ""Járnsíða"", which was itself superseded when existing laws were compiled in the Jónsbók by Jón Einarsson (in 1281). The Althing was suspended in 1799, and re-established in 1845 as an advisory body of the Danish king and from 1874 as a legislative body. The legislative body of the modern Republic of Iceland (since"
"in 1799, was restored in 1844, and Iceland gained sovereignty after World War I, on 1 December 1918. However, Iceland shared the Danish Monarchy until World War II. Although Iceland was neutral in the Second World War, the United Kingdom invaded and peacefully occupied it in 1940 to forestall a Nazi occupation, after Denmark was overrun by the German Wehrmacht. Because of the island's strategic position in the North Atlantic, the allies occupied the island until the end of the war, the United States taking over occupation duties from the British in 1941. In 1944, Iceland severed its remaining ties"
"records indicate that around 60 to 80 percent of the male settlers were of Norse origin (primarily from Western Norway) and a similar percentage of the women were of Gaelic stock from Ireland and peripheral Scotland. Icelanders have had a tumultuous history. Development of the island was slow due to a lack of interest from the countries controlling it for most of its history: Norway, Denmark–Norway, and ultimately Denmark. Through this time, Iceland had relatively little contact with the outside world. The island became independent in personal union with the Kingdom of Denmark in 1918. Since 1944, Iceland has been"
"essentially violent and unjust society, tormented by constant feuding. It is difficult to tell whether such judgments are correct. Icelandic Commonwealth The Icelandic Commonwealth, Icelandic Free State, or Republic of Iceland ( or, less commonly, ""goðaveldið"") was the state existing in Iceland between the establishment of the Alþingi (Althing) in 930 and the pledge of fealty to the Norwegian king with the Old Covenant in 1262. With the probable exception of Papar, Iceland was an uninhabited island until around 870. The medieval Icelandic state had a unique judicial structure. The first settlers of Iceland were greatly influenced by their Norwegian"
"Iceland, a fact that is unique to Iceland among the European nations. The first people setting foot on Icelandic soil were Chalcedonian Irish hermits, seeking refuge on these remote shores to worship Christ. Later, Norse settlers are thought to have driven them out. Some of the settlers were Christians, although the majority were pagan, worshipping the old Norse gods. When Iceland was constituted as a republic in 930 CE, it was based on the pagan religion. In the late 10th century, missionaries from the continent sought to spread Catholicism among the population. Ari Þorgilsson, in his historical work ""Íslendingabók"", recounts"
"one of the last strongholds of Gaelic in Scotland. It is recorded in the ""Landnámabók"" that there were papar or culdees (Gaelic monks) in Iceland before the Norse. This appears to tie in with comments of Dicuil and is given further weight by recent archaeological discoveries. The settlement of Iceland and the Faroe Islands by the Norse would have included many Norse–Gael settlers, as well as slaves and servants. They were called Vestmen (Western men), and the name is retained in Vestmanna in the Faroes and the Vestmannaeyjar off the Icelandic mainland. A number of Icelandic personal names are of"
"the island its new and present name. The notion that Iceland's Viking settlers chose that name to discourage oversettlement of their verdant isle is a myth. According to both Landnámabók and Íslendingabók, monks known as the Papar lived in Iceland before Scandinavian settlers arrived, possibly members of a Hiberno-Scottish mission. Recent archaeological excavations have revealed the ruins of a cabin in Hafnir on the Reykjanes peninsula. Carbon dating indicates that it was abandoned sometime between 770 and 880. In 2016, archeologists uncovered a longhouse in Stöðvarfjörður that has been dated to as early as 800. Swedish Viking explorer Garðar Svavarsson"
"and Iceland began during the 9th and 10th centuries. A settlement on Greenland was established before 1000 CE, but contact with it was lost in 1409 and it was finally abandoned during the early Little Ice Age. This setback was caused by a range of factors: an unsustainable economy resulted in erosion and denudation, while conflicts with the local Inuit resulted in the failure to adapt their Arctic technologies; a colder climate resulted in starvation; and the colony got economically marginalized as the Great Plague and Barbary pirates harvested its victims on Iceland in the 15th century. Iceland was initially"
"by Denmark. Iceland's history has also been marked by a number of natural disasters. Iceland is a relatively young country in the geological sense, being formed about 20 million years ago by a series of volcanic eruptions in the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, but it is still growing from fresh volcanic eruptions. The oldest stone specimens found in Iceland date back to ca. 16 million years ago. In geological terms, Iceland is a young island. It started to form in the Miocene era about 20 million years ago from a series of volcanic eruptions on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, where it lies between"
"Military history of Iceland This is a brief overview of historical warfare and recent developments in what today constitutes the Republic of Iceland. In the period from the settlement of Iceland, in the 870s, until it became part of the realm of the Norwegian King, military defences of Iceland consisted of multiple chieftains (""Goðar"") and their free followers (""þingmenn"", ""bændur"" or ""liðsmenn"") organised as per standard Nordic military doctrine of the time in expeditionary armies such as the ""leiðangr"". The armies being divided into units by the quality the warriors and birth. At the end of this period the number"
"1944) is again known as Althing. Old laws are still quoted, the 13th century law of Grágás was used in a case in 2017 regarding an injury caused during a friendly fight. Law of Iceland Law of Iceland during the Commonwealth (930—1262) was decided by the Althing. It has changed over the years but the legislative body is still called Althing. Prior to 1262 the law-code was ""Grágás"". Following the ""Gamli sáttmáli"", Magnus VI of Norway introduced the law-code ""Járnsíða"", which was itself superseded when existing laws were compiled in the Jónsbók by Jón Einarsson (in 1281). The Althing was"
"Iceland Iceland ( ) is a Nordic island country in the North Atlantic, with a population of and an area of , making it the most sparsely populated country in Europe. The capital and largest city is Reykjavík, with Reykjavík and the surrounding areas in the southwest of the country being home to over two-thirds of the population. Iceland is volcanically and geologically active. The interior consists of a plateau characterised by sand and lava fields, mountains, and glaciers, and many glacial rivers flow to the sea through the lowlands. Iceland is warmed by the Gulf Stream and has a"
"of Kiel. A growing independence movement in Iceland led to Denmark granting it home rule in 1874 and expanding that home rule in 1904. In 1918 Iceland became a fully sovereign kingdom, titled the ""Kingdom of Iceland"", in personal union with Denmark. During Nazi Germany's Occupation of Denmark (1940) the Republic of Iceland was declared on June 17, 1944 after the result of a referendum . In the 13th-14th centuries, Denmark ruled parts of what is now Estonia. The colony was initially named the ""Duchy of Estonia"" () and is retrospectively called Danish Estonia by historians. In 1559 the bishop"
"Christianization of Iceland Iceland was Christianized in the AD 1000, when Christianity became the religion by law. In Icelandic, this event is known as the ""kristnitaka"" (literally, ""the taking of Christianity""). The vast majority of the initial settlers of Iceland during the settlement of Iceland in the 9th and 10th centuries AD were pagan, worshipping the ""Æsir"" (the Norse gods). Beginning in 980, Iceland was visited by several Christian missionaries who had little success; but when Olaf Tryggvason (who had converted around 998) ascended to the Norwegian throne, there were many more converts, and the two rival religions soon divided"