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Iceland was ruled by mainland Scandinavian powers from the end of the Sturlung Era until 1944, but in 1809, there was a little-known attempt by a Danish explorer named Jørgen Jørgensen to establish an independent state after the governer wouldn't permit trade, apparently with the intention of establishing a constitutional liberal democracy of some kind. He was eventually arrested by the British as he was considered a pirate by them and had been on parole, but what if he'd convinced the British that an Icelandic state was beneficial to them in some way?