Kingdom of Iceland

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Kingdom of Iceland Konungsríkið Ísland Kongeriget Island
Personal union with Denmark
← 1918–1944 →
Flag Coat of arms
Motto Min Gud, mit land, min ære "My God, my country, my honour"
Anthem Der er et yndigt land "There is a lovely country" Royal anthem Kong Christian stod ved højen mast "King Christian stood by the lofty mast"
Capital		Reykjavík
Languages		Icelandic, Danish
Religion		Lutheranism
Government		Constitutional monarchy
King
-	1918–1944	Christian X
Regent
-	1941–1944	Sveinn Björnsson
Prime Minister
-	1918–1920	Jón Magnússon (first)
-	1942–1944	Björn Þórðarson (last)
Legislature		Althing
Historical era		Interwar period / WWII
-	Act of Union	1 December 1918
-	Fall of Denmark	9 April 1940
-	Operation Fork	10 May 1940
-	National referendum	20 May 1944
-	Republic proclaimed	17 June 1944
Area
-	1944	103,000 km² (39,769 sq mi)
Population
-	1944 est.	127,791
Density		1.2 /km²  (3.2 /sq mi)
Currency		Icelandic króna

The Kingdom of Iceland (Icelandic: Konungsríkið Ísland; Danish: Kongeriget Island) was a constitutional monarchy that existed through 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.

Origins of Danish rule[edit]

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 revised in 1903 and the extent of Iceland's home rule increased in 1904. A minister for Icelandic affairs, residing in Reykjavík, was made responsible to the Althing, the Icelandic parliament.

Establishment of the Kingdom[edit]

On 1 December 1918, the Act of Union, an agreement with Denmark, recognized Iceland as a fully sovereign state in personal union with Denmark through a common monarch. The Kingdom of Iceland established its own flag and coat of arms and asked that Denmark represent its foreign affairs and defense interests. The Act would be reviewed in 1940 and could be revoked three years later if agreement to continue it could not be reached.

World War II and the establishment of the Republic[edit]

The German occupation of Denmark on 9 April 1940 severed communications between Iceland and Denmark. As a result, on 10 April, the Althing passed two resolutions investing the Icelandic cabinet with the power of head of state and declaring that Iceland would accept full responsibility for both foreign affairs and coastal surveillance. A year later, the Althing adopted a law creating the position of regent for Sveinn Björnsson in order to represent the monarchy. During the first year of World War II, Iceland strictly enforced a position of neutrality and took action against both British and German forces that violated it. On 10 May 1940, Operation "Fork" was launched by the United Kingdom when military forces sailed into Reykjavík harbour and began an invasion of Iceland. The government of Iceland issued a protest against what it called a "flagrant violation" of Icelandic neutrality. On the day of the invasion, Prime Minister Hermann Jónasson read a radio announcement instructing Icelanders to treat the British troops as guests. The Allied occupation of Iceland would last throughout the war.

At its peak, Britain had approximately 25,000 troops stationed in Iceland, all but eliminating unemployment in Reykjavík and other strategically important places. In July 1941, it coerced the Althing into accepting an American–Icelandic defense agreement, passing responsibility for Iceland's defense to the United States.^{[citation needed]} As many as 40,000 American soldiers were then stationed on the island, outnumbering the native population of adult men. (Iceland's total native population during the war was approximately 120,000.)

Following a constitutional referendum in May 1944, Iceland formally became an independent republic on 17 June 1944. Many Danes felt offended at its timing, as Denmark was still occupied by Germany.^{[citation needed]} The Danish king, Christian X, nonetheless sent a message of congratulations to the Icelandic people.^{[citation needed]}

Flags[edit]

See also[edit]

• History of Iceland

References[edit]

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