Ask me about Icelandic history

There are forests in the north but not really in the same sense as in other countries. The forested areas are neither natural nor large. We have natural birch tree growth, I suppose you could call some areas quaziforested. That being said Hallormstaðaskógur can be pretty, as well as Vaglaskógur. (Link to a song about a springnight in Vaglaskóg)

Well, naturally, Iceland got almost completely deforested during the Middle Ages. AFAIK, the current woods (well, groves :D) are an attempt to recreate the primordial tundra groves of birch and small pines that covered parts of the island when the first settlers arrived. And to stop the threat of soil erosion in most parts of the country.
 
Is Jorgen Jorgensen remembered at all?

Yes, humorously. Perhaps he deserves better rep than he got. He was unrealistic at best, Icelanders were neither ready nor willing for independence at that point. But his occupation is certainly interesting and worthy of a film. (A tragicomedy).

Jorgen Jorgensen didn´t really have any long term effect but we honour the dogdays. The days Jorgen ruled Iceland: 25 june till 23 august.
The dogdays are originally of roman origin though, but Icelanders believe they were named after Jorgen the Dogdayking. It doesn´t involve holidays or festivities, but some acknowledgement and a place in the calendar.

Now, a really fondly remembered danish independence hero would be Rasmus Rask. (Again revealing an obsession with language).
 
One terminology related question : If Iceland ever had "Armed Forces" and an "Air Force" in an ATL, what would they probably be called in Icelandic ?
 
Well Icelandic for airforce: Flugher.
For the land based army: Landgöngulið.
Navy: Sjóher.

So what you´d probably see written on vehicles or uniforms would be:

Íslenski flugherinn (Or possibly Íslenzki, keeping the old spelling).
Íslenski sjóherinn
Íslenska landgönguliðið.

It´d be tiny. I suppose the best would be some sort of swiss style militia and maybe two or three lowclass ship meant for battle. (And used for rescuing sailors). An airforce would have to be used for something more than just flying around, probably too expensive. Unless you do an ATL where Iceland receives huge donations from US in exchange for buying stuff from american weapon producers.
 
I was wondering about what Icelanders generally think about Islam and Muslims. How's Islamophobia there?
 
It´d be tiny. I suppose the best would be some sort of swiss style militia and maybe two or three lowclass ship meant for battle. (And used for rescuing sailors). An airforce would have to be used for something more than just flying around, probably too expensive. Unless you do an ATL where Iceland receives huge donations from US in exchange for buying stuff from american weapon producers.

Yeah, we've had a debate about the feasability of a somewhat larger Icelandic military in December, IIRC. Back then, I forgot to ask about what it would be called if it ever existed in an ATL. I'm currently drawing some planes for a small ATL Icelandic Air Force, so I was just curious. ;)
 
Did Iceland provide any recognised regiments, or even batallions, when in Danish service, or did warrior-like Icelanders have to join some hodge-podge Danish mainland unit?

Best Regards
Grey Wolf
 
Did Iceland provide any recognised regiments, or even batallions, when in Danish service, or did warrior-like Icelanders have to join some hodge-podge Danish mainland unit?

Best Regards
Grey Wolf

According to the Genocide's article on Iceland's military history :

"In 1855, the Icelandic Army was reestablished by Andreas August von Kohl the sheriff in Vestmannaeyjar. In 1856, the king provided 180 rixdollars to buy guns, and a further 200 rixdollars the following year. The sheriff became the Captain of the new army, which become known as Herfylkingin, "The Battalion." In 1860, von Kohl died, and Pétur Bjarnasen took over the command. Nine years later Pétur Bjarnasen died before appointing a successor, and the army fell into disarray."

Prior to that, there were various attempts at a royal militia in the 18th century and Napoleonic era, but there was often little gunpowder and few guns (16th century halberds and other old melee weapons were still being used at the start of the 19th century).

But I'm sure Fabilius could tell us more.
 
I was wondering about what Icelanders generally think about Islam and Muslims. How's Islamophobia there?

Sadly yes. There are hardly any muslims here, and I think half of them are converted Icelanders rather than immigrants. There is one palestinian in the parliament though, I quite like her.

There is still no mosque in Iceland and I suspect it`s because there is a bunch of jackasses in the city bureaucracy never approve of any plans for it. Also there was some group created that opposed the building of a mosque and they got a few thousand to sign up on facebook. (More than 90%of icelanders have a facebook, but jeez, 4000 members of an anti mosque group in a country with a population of 310,000)

Yeah, there is islamophobia.

At the same time a lot of sympathy for the middle east. More than 80% opposition to Iraq war, more than 50% to afghanistan, and Palestinian state probably has equal support.
 
Did Iceland provide any recognised regiments, or even batallions, when in Danish service, or did warrior-like Icelanders have to join some hodge-podge Danish mainland unit?

Best Regards
Grey Wolf

No, I don`t think that ever occurred. With pacifism being such an important part of the national psyche I`m pretty sure that my old school textbooks would`ve included a weepy story about Icelandic mothers deprived of their sons by the evil danish imperialists.;)
 
Prior to that, there were various attempts at a royal militia in the 18th century and Napoleonic era, but there was often little gunpowder and few guns (16th century halberds and other old melee weapons were still being used at the start of the 19th century).

But I'm sure Fabilius could tell us more.

Actually I can`t tell much more offhand... But it is telling that a soap merchant could conquer the island during the Napoleonic era.
 
But it is telling that a soap merchant could conquer the island during the Napoleonic era.

:D

Well, Iceland was a mostly poor and still very isolated territory back then.

On a related note... Were crossbows ever used on Iceland or did medieval and early modern Icelanders only use bows and slings as projectile weapons ? Is there any mention of crossbows in domestic written sources ?

And when was Iceland's coat of arms of arms from the 17th century (the one with the blue field and silver codfish, IIRC) discontinued ?
 
:D

Well, Iceland was a mostly poor and still very isolated territory back then.

On a related note... Were crossbows ever used on Iceland or did medieval and early modern Icelanders only use bows and slings as projectile weapons ? Is there any mention of crossbows in domestic written sources ?

And when was Iceland's coat of arms of arms from the 17th century (the one with the blue field and silver codfish, IIRC) discontinued ?

According to an archeologist blog I just read then yes there were crossbows in Iceland during the medieval period.

In 1903 the king decided (after some lobbying from Iceland) that the new coat of arms should be the falcon. Until then it was the cod. Apparently there was an even older, but less original coat of arms (a lion) used in the 13th century, but the coat came into use during 16th century probably.
 
Do Icelanders eat alot of whale meat?

What is the hottest day you remember and how did people take it?

1. Yes, during summer there is a lot of whale BBQ. If you ask me, it´s not something worth fighting the "international community" about. It´s not really commercially viable anymore I think, and it´s though tasty among the cheapest meat you can get. (But seriously though, minke whale BBQ is the best:D).

2. I do remember a few really hot days but I don´t think anyone ever started "Oh noes, it is the global warming" during those days. The breaking of heat records is rarely that dramatic, it´s usually a few degrees above the previous one and people are really happy that they can be out in t-shirts. One of the hottest days ever was one where I was shovelling (road construction), not a lucky combination.:cool:
 
1. Yes, during summer there is a lot of whale BBQ. If you ask me, it´s not something worth fighting the "international community" about. It´s not really commercially viable anymore I think, and it´s though tasty among the cheapest meat you can get. (But seriously though, minke whale BBQ is the best:D).

2. I do remember a few really hot days but I don´t think anyone ever started "Oh noes, it is the global warming" during those days. The breaking of heat records is rarely that dramatic, it´s usually a few degrees above the previous one and people are really happy that they can be out in t-shirts. One of the hottest days ever was one where I was shovelling (road construction), not a lucky combination.:cool:
On whale meat, from what I understand certain whales are plentiful enough to allow harvesting. Do you know how one "fishes" for whales? Is it a rod and reel, fishing net, or harpoon?
 
On whale meat, from what I understand certain whales are plentiful enough to allow harvesting. Do you know how one "fishes" for whales? Is it a rod and reel, fishing net, or harpoon?

Harpoon. On the bigger ones (that aren´t hunted today) it used to be harpoons and explosives.
 
According to an archeologist blog I just read then yes there were crossbows in Iceland during the medieval period.

Though I bet they probably weren't that plentiful (since the cost of manufacturing one would certainly be higher than of a bow).

In 1903 the king decided (after some lobbying from Iceland) that the new coat of arms should be the falcon. Until then it was the cod. Apparently there was an even older, but less original coat of arms (a lion) used in the 13th century, but the coat came into use during 16th century probably.

Yes, I know there were CoAs already in the medieval period. The very first supposedly looked like this. After Iceland became an earldom of Norway, it was based partly on the Norwegian CoA, with some added bars. That's apparently "the one with the lion".
 
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