History of the Faroe Islands
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The early details of the history of the Faroe Islands are unclear. It is possible that Brendan, an Irish monk, sailed past the islands during his North Atlantic voyage in the 6th century. He saw an 'Island of Sheep' and a 'Paradise of Birds', which some say could be the Faroes with its dense bird population and sheep. This does suggest however that other sailors had got there before him, to bring the sheep. Norsemen settled the Faroe Islands in the 9th or 10th century. The islands were officially converted to Christianity around the year 1000, and became a part of the Kingdom of Norway in 1035. Norwegian rule on the islands continued until 1380, when the islands became part of the dual Denmark–Norway kingdom, under king Olaf II of Denmark.
Following the 1814
Early Gaelic and Norse settlements
There is some evidence of settlement on the Faroe Islands before Norse Viking settlers arrived in the ninth century AD. Scientific researchers found burnt grains of domesticated barley and peat ash deposited in two phases: the first dated between the mid-fourth and mid-sixth centuries, and another between the late-sixth and late-eighth centuries.[1][2] Researchers have also found sheep DNA in lake-bed sediments, which were dated to around the year 500. Barley and sheep had to have been brought to the islands by humans. It is unlikely the Norse would have sailed near the Faroes long before the early 800s. The first settlers may have come from the British Isles.[3][4] Archaeologist Mike Church suggested that the people living there might have been from Ireland, Scotland or Scandinavia, or from all three.[5]
According to a ninth-century voyage tale, the Irish saint Brendan visited islands resembling the Faroes in the sixth century. This description, however, is not conclusive.[6]
The earliest text which has been claimed to be a description of the Faroe Islands was written by the Irish monk Dicuil c.825 in his work Liber de Mensura Orbis Terrae (description of the sphere of the earth).[7] Dicuil had met a "man worthy of trust" who related to his master, the abbot Sweeney (Suibhne), how he had landed on islands in the far north after sailing "two days and a summer night in a little vessel of two banks of oars" (in duobus aestivis diebus, et una intercedente nocte, navigans in duorum navicula transtrorum).
"Many other islands lie in the northerly British Ocean. One reaches them from the northerly islands of Britain, by sailing directly for two days and two nights with a full sail in a favourable wind the whole time.... Most of these islands are small, they are separated by narrow channels, and for nearly a hundred years hermits lived there, coming from our land, Ireland, by boat. But just as these islands have been uninhabited from the beginning of the world, so now the Norwegian
sea-fowl are to be found there..."[8]
Norse settlement of the Faroe Islands is recorded in the Færeyinga saga, whose original manuscript is lost. Portions of the tale were inscribed in three other sagas: the Flateyjarbók, the Saga of Óláfr Tryggvason, and AM 62 fol. Similar to other sagas, the historical credibility of the Færeyinga saga is highly questioned.
Both the Saga of Ólafr Tryggvason and the Flateyjarbók claim that
Pre-14th century
The name of the islands is first recorded on the Hereford Mappa Mundi (1280), where they are labelled farei. The name has long been understood as based on Old Norse fár "livestock", thus fær-øer "sheep islands".
The main historical source for this period is the 13th-century work Færeyinga saga (Saga of the Faroese), though it is disputed as to how much of this work is historical fact. Færeyinga saga only exists today as copies in other sagas, in particular the manuscripts called Saga of Óláfr Tryggvason, Flateyjarbók and one registered as AM 62 fol.
According to Flateyjarbók,
Maður er nefndur Grímur kamban; hann byggði fyrstur manna Færeyjar. En á dögum Haralds hins hárfagra flýðu fyrir hans ofríki fjöldi manna; settust sumir í Færeyjum og byggðu þar, en sumir leituðu til annarra eyðilanda.[12]
- There was a man named Grímr Kamban; he first settled in Faroe. But in the days of Harold Fairhair many men fled before the king's overbearing. Some settled in Faroe and began to dwell there, and others sought to other waste lands.
The text suggests that Grímr Kamban settled in the Faroes some time before the flight from
If there was settlement in the Faroes in the reign of Harald Hårfagre, it is possible that people already knew about the Faroes because of previous visitors or settlers.
The fact that immigrants from Norway also settled in the Faroe Islands is proven by a
Þorkil Onundsson, austmaþr af Hrua-lande, byggþe þe(n)a staþ fyrst.[17]
- Thorkil Onundsson, eastman (Norwegian) from Rogaland, settled first in this place (Sandavágur)
This description "eastman" (from Norway) has to be seen together with the description "westman" (from Ireland/Scotland), which is to be found in local place-names such as "Vestmanna-havn" i.e. "Irishmen's harbour" in the Faroe Isles, and "Vestmannaeyjar" i.e. "Irishmen's islands" in Iceland.
According to Færeyinga saga there was an ancient institution on the headland called Tinganes in Tórshavn on the island of Streymoy. This was an Alþing or Althing (All-council.) This was the place where laws were made and disputes solved. All free men had the right to meet in the Alþing. It was a parliament and law court for all, thus the name. Historians estimate the Alþing to have been established from 800 to 900.[18]
The islands were officially converted to
The Faroes became a part of the Kingdom of Norway in 1035. Early in the 11th century Sigmund or Sigmundur Brestisson, whose family had flourished in the southern islands but had been almost exterminated by invaders from the islands of the north, was sent from Norway, to where he had escaped, to take possession of the islands for Olaf Tryggvason, king of Norway. He introduced Christianity, and, though he was subsequently murdered, Norwegian supremacy was upheld and continued.
King Sverre of Norway was brought up in the Faroes, being stepson of a Faroese man, and relative to Roe, bishop of the islands.
Foreign commercial interest: 14th century to Second World War
The 14th century saw the start of what would prove to be a long era of foreign encroachment on the Faroese economy. At this time trading regulations were set up so that all Faroese commerce had to pass through
Norwegian supremacy continued until 1380, when the islands became part of the Kalmar Union. The islands were still a possession of the Norwegian crown since the crowns had not been joined. In 1380 the Alþting was renamed the Løgting, though it was by now little more than a law court.
In 1390s, Henry I Sinclair, Earl of Orkney, took possession of the islands (as vassal of Norway, however) and for some time they were part of the Sinclair principality in the North Atlantic.
Archaeological excavations on the islands indicate sustained pig keeping up to and beyond the 13th century, a unique situation when compared to
English adventurers gave great trouble to the inhabitants in the 16th century, and the name of
Reformation era
In 1535
Christian III also introduced
After Köppen, others took over the trading monopoly, though the economy suffered as a result of the
1600s onwards
The Danish king tried to solve the problem by giving the Faroes to the courtier Christoffer Gabel (and later on his son, Frederick) as a personal feudal estate. However, the Gabel rule was harsh and repressive, breeding much resentment in the Faroese. This caused Denmark–Norway, in 1708, to entrust the islands and trading monopoly once more to the central government. However, they too struggled to keep the economy going, and many merchants were trading at a loss. Finally, on 1 January 1856 the trading monopoly was abolished.
The Faroe Islands,
In 1816 the
World War II
During the
The Løgting gained legislative powers, with the Danish prefect Carl Aage Hilbert retaining executive power. The Faroese flag was recognized by British authorities. There were some attempts to declare complete independence in this period, but the UK had given an undertaking not to interfere in the internal affairs of the Faroe Islands nor to act without the permission of a liberated Denmark. The experience of wartime self-government was crucial in paving the way for formal autonomy in 1948.
The British presence was broadly popular (particularly given the alternative of a German occupation). Approximately 150 marriages took place between British soldiers and Faroese women, although the scale of the British presence on Vágar did lead to some local tensions. The British presence also left a lasting popularity for British chocolate and sweets, which are readily available in Faroese shops but uncommon in Denmark.[citation needed]
Post-World War II: Home Rule
Following the liberation of Denmark and the end of World War II, the last British troops left in September 1945. Until 1948 the Faroes had the official status of a Danish
In 1973 Denmark joined the
The 1980s saw an increase in support for Faroese independence. Unemployment was very low, and the Faroese were enjoying one of the world's highest standards of living, but the Faroese economy was almost entirely reliant on fishing. The early 1990s saw a dramatic slump in fish stocks, which were being overfished with new high-tech equipment. During the same period the government was also engaged in massive overspending. National debt was now at 9.4 billion Danish krones (
It was during this period that many Faroese (6%) decided to emigrate, mainly to Denmark. Unemployment rose to as much as 20% in Tórshavn, and even higher in the outlying islands. In 1993 the Sjóvinnurbankin merged with the Faroe Islands' second largest bank, Føroya Banki. A third was declared bankrupt. Meanwhile, there was a growing international boycott of Faroese produce because of the
Recuperative measures were put in place and largely worked. Unemployment peaked in January 1994 at 26%, since which it fell (10% in mid-1996, 5% in April 2000). The fishing industry survived largely intact. Fish stocks also rose, with the annual catch being 100,000 in 1994, rising to 150,000 in 1995. In 1998 it was 375,000. Emigration also fell to 1% in 1995, and there was a small population increase in 1996. In addition, oil was discovered nearby. By the early 21st century weaknesses in the Faroese economy had been eliminated and, accordingly, many minds turned once again to the possibility of independence from Denmark. However, a planned referendum in 2001 on first steps towards independence was called off following Danish Prime Minister Poul Nyrup Rasmussen saying that Danish money grants would be phased out within four years if there were a 'yes' vote.
See also
References
- .
- ^ "New signs of pre-Viking life on the Faroe Islands". Science Nordic. 28 January 2013.
- Commun Earth Environ2, 253 (2021).
- ^ Rincon, Paul (16 December 2021). "British or Irish reached remote Faroe Islands before Vikings". BBC News.
- ^ Choi, Charles Q (22 August 2013). "Mystery settlers, whoever they were, reached islands before Vikings". NBC Science News. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
- ^ See Navigatio Sancti Brendani Abbatis, chapter XII, at [1]: Cum autem navigassent juxta illam insulam per triduum antea et venissent at summitatem illius contra occidentalem plagam viderent aliam insulam prope sibi junctam interveniente freto magno herbosam et memorosam plenamque floribus et ceperunt querere portum per circuitum insulae. Porro navigantibus contra meridianam plagam eiusdem insulae invenerunt rivulum vergentem in mare ibique navim ad terram miserunt. This passage describes an island across a narrow sound, grassy, well-wooded, and full of flowers, with the mouth of a rivulet on the southern side. Translations: see The Voyage of St Brendan, translated from the Latin by John J. O'Meara, Dolmen Press, Portlaoise, 1985; also Nauigatio sancti Brendani abbatis [the Voyage of St Brendan the Abbot], edition by Archbishop P. F. Moran, tr. Denis O’Donoghue, Brendaniana, 1893: [2]. See also Navigatio Sancti Brendani Abbatis, chapter IX, in which reference is made to a previous island on which there are vast flocks of white sheep: Perambulantes autem illam insulam invenerunt diverses turmas ovium unius coloris id est albi ita ut non-possent ultra videre terram prae multitudine ovium.
- ^ "Bill Thayer's Web Site". penelope.uchicago.edu.
- ^ See [3], chapter 7.2: Sunt aliae insulae multae in Septentrionali Britanniae Oceano, quae a septentrionalibus Britanniae insulis duorum dierum ac noctium recta navigatione, plenis velis, assiduo feliciter adiri queunt. Aliquis presbyter religiosus mihi retulit quod, in duobus aestivis diebus, et una intercedente nocte, navigans in duorum navicula transtrorum, in unam illarum intrivit. Illae insulae sunt aliae parvulae; fere cunctae simul angustis distantes fretis, in quibus in centum ferme annis heremitae ex nostra Scotia navigantes habitaverunt, sed, sicut a principio mundi, desertae semper fuerunt; ita, nunc causa latronum Normannorum, vacuae anachoritis, plenae innumerabilibus ovibus, ac diversis generibus multis nimis marinarum avium. Nunquam eas insulas in libris auctorum memoratas invenimus.
- ^ Flateyjarbók
- ^ The Saga of Óláfr Tryggvason
- ^ Schei, Liv Kjørsvik & Moberg, Gunnie (2003) The Faroe Islands. Berlin.
- ^ "Færeyinga saga". www.snerpa.is.
- ^ https://www.academia.edu/2531097/The_nature_of_the_Viking_Age_settlement_of_the_Faroe_Islands 'The nature of the Viking Age settlement of the Faroe Islands' by Jamie Barnes, pp. 9–10.
- ^ Chr. Matras. Greinaval – málfrøðigreinir. Føroya Fróðskaparfelag 2000
- ^ [4] 'A palaeoecologist’s view of landnám: A case still not proven?’ P. C. Buckland & E. Panagiotakopulu.
- ^ [5] 'The Leirvík "Bønhústoftin" and the early Christianity of the Faroe Islands, and beyond' by Steffen Stumman Hansen and John Sheehan, pp. 37–41
- ^ "Samnordisk runtextdatabas". abdn.ac.uk.
- ^ "Historical Record" (PDF). www.logting.fo. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
- ^ "snar.fo, Føroyskar bókmentir, page 4 (in Faroese)" (PDF). snar.fo.
- ^ "Føroyska kirkjan". Fólkakirkjan. Archived from the original on 8 March 2015. Retrieved 21 April 2014.
- ^ James Miller, The North Atlantic Front: Orkney, Shetland, Faroe and Iceland at War (2004)
Bibliography
- Church, MJ, Arge, SV, Brewington, S, McGovern, TH, Woollett, JM, Perdikaris, S, Lawson, IT, Cook, GT, Amundsen, C. Harrison, R, Krivogorskaya, Y and Dunar, E. (2005). Puffins, Pigs, Cod and Barley: Palaeoeconomy at Undir Junkarinsfløtti, Sandoy, Faroe Islands. Environmental Archaeology 10#2 pp: 179–197.
Further reading
- Brandt, Don. Stamps and Story of the Faroe Islands. Reykjavík: Nesútgáfan, 1996. ISBN 9979-9194-4-2
- Johnston, George. The Faroe Islanders' Saga. [Ottawa]: Oberon, 1975. ISBN 0-88750-135-4
- Miller, James. The North Atlantic Front: Orkney, Shetland, Faroe, and Iceland at War (Edinburgh: Birlinn, 2003), on the Second World War
- West, John F. The History of the Faroe Islands, 1709–1816. København: C.A. Reitzel, 1985. ISBN 87-7421-486-1
- Wylie, Jonathan. The Faroe Islands: Interpretations of History. Lexington, Ky: University Press of Kentucky, 1987. ISBN 0-8131-1578-7