The Conversion Of Iceland A Political Event

Essay from the year 2004 in the subject History of Europe - Middle Ages, Early Modern Age, grade: 1,0, The University of Western Ontario, course: Old Iceland, language: English, abstract: The conversion of Iceland in the year 1000 A.D. was doubtlessly an event of great importance in the history of the country. This is reflected in the number of sources that give an account of the happenings; here especially the Islendigabok, written by Ari the Wise, has to be named foremost, since it is our oldest and also most reliable source (Stömbäck 18; Aðalsteinsson 55). Ari wrote the Islendigabok some time in the years between 1122 and 1132. He himself states that “it is our duty to give preference to that which is proved to be most correct” (Ari 59). The Islendigabok can indeed be seen as the first work of Historiography in Iceland. One reason for this is that Ari names his major sources and refers to them when he talks about singular events [...] When the Alðing accepted Christianity the consequences must have been clear. The ignorance and indifference towards Christianity thereafter shows that the actual event of the Conversion was a political one, and only on a secondary level a religious one. The conversion to Christianity was a long process that became more serious only with the second bishop of Iceland, Gizur Isleifsson from on. The reason for the acceptance of Christianity remains obscure. I believe, though, that there was pressure from King Olaf Tryggvason. This would explain the optimism of Gizur the White and Hjalti when they came to the Alðing. This pressure might range from persecution of Icelanders to war to economical repressions. The menacing collapse of the Icelandic commonwealth might also play a role. However, even if these assumptions would turn out to be incorrect, the conversion of Iceland in the year 1000 A.D. still remains to a very large degree a political event.

Essay from the year 2004 in the subject History Europe - Other Countries - Middle Ages, Early Modern Age, grade: 1,0, The University of Western Ontario, course: Old Iceland, 7 entries in the bibliography, language: English, abstract: The conversion of Iceland in the year 1000 A.D. was doubtlessly an event of great importance in the history of the country. This is reflected in the number of sources that give an account of the happenings; here especially the Islendigabok, written by Ari the Wise, has to be named foremost, since it is our oldest and also most reliable source (St mb ck 18; A alsteinsson 55). Ari wrote the Islendigabok some time in the years between 1122 and 1132. He himself states that "it is our duty to give preference to that which is proved to be most correct" (Ari 59). The Islendigabok can indeed be seen as the first work of Historiography in Iceland. One reason for this is that Ari names his major sources and refers to them when he talks about singular events ...] When the Al ing accepted Christianity the consequences must have been clear. The ignorance and indifference towards Christianity thereafter shows that the actual event of the Conversion was a political one, and only on a secondary level a religious one. The conversion to Christianity was a long process that became more serious only with the second bishop of Iceland, Gizur Isleifsson from on. The reason for the acceptance of Christianity remains obscure. I believe, though, that there was pressure from King Olaf Tryggvason. This would explain the optimism of Gizur the White and Hjalti when they came to the Al ing. This pressure might range from persecution of Icelanders to war to economical repressions. The menacing collapse of the Icelandic commonwealth might also play a role. However, even if these assumptions would turn out to be incorrect, the conversion of Iceland in the year 1000 A.D. still remains to a very large degree a political event.

This book examines to what extent politics in Iceland have been transformed in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis. The book focuses on whether the short-term sudden shock caused by the Great Recession has permanently transformed politics, political behaviour and the Icelandic party system or whether its effect was primarily transitory. These questions remain highly relevant to the wider field of political science, as the book examines under what circumstances sudden shocks lead to permanent changes in a political system. As such, the book situates the post-crisis Icelandic case both temporally and comparatively and evaluates to what extent the Iceland experience is reflective of broader patterns found in other Western democracies, particularly those other countries that were also hard hit by the Great Recession (e.g. Greece, Ireland, Portugal, Spain and Italy). This book will be of key interest to scholars and students of Nordic politics, Icelandic politics and society, electoral studies, political parties and party systems, representative democracy, political behaviour and more broadly to European and comparative politics. The Open Access version of this book, available at www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 license.

This book takes its title from the momentous decision of the Icelandic law-giver, Thorgeir, in AD 1000, to adopt Christianity as the island's official religion. According to tradition, this was taken as he lay "under a cloak", presumably seeking inspiration from his, pagan, deities. First published in 1979, the present edition expands its discussion of the background to this peacable adoption of the new faith, and its growth under succeeding generations. The author shows how tolerance and pragmatism were early features of the Icelandic church.

Analysis of the evolution of Icelandic society.

A study of United States - Iceland defense relations since 1940 carried out in Iceland in 1955 and 1956, whilst author was serving as press offices in the United States Embassey in Reykjavik. A revised version of doctoral dissertation submitted to the University of Michigan.

Iceland declared "perpetual neutrality" in foreign affairs upon gaing sovereignty from Denmark in 1918. Intense nationalism, relatively strong Communist influence, and a late modernisation long distinguished the country's political and economic development. This brief survey of Icelandic postwar (1946-1956) foreign policy covers Iceland's stormy passage from "perpetual neutrality" to involvement with international alliances.