Ingolfr Arnarson, in some sources named Bjǫrnolfsson, (c. 849 – c. 910)is commonly recognized as the first permanent Norse settler of Iceland, together with his wife Hallveig Fróðadóttir and foster brother Hjǫrleifr Hróðmarsson. According to tradition, they settled in Reykjavík in 874.
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👉 Ingólfr Arnarson in the context of Iceland
Iceland is a Nordic island country between the Arctic Ocean and the North Atlantic Ocean, located on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between Europe and North America. It is culturally and politically linked with Europe and is the region's westernmost and most sparsely populated country. Its capital and largest city is Reykjavík, which is home to about 36% of the country's roughly 390,000 residents (excluding nearby towns/suburbs, which are separate municipalities). The official language of the country is Icelandic. Iceland is on a rift between tectonic plates, and its geologic activity includes geysers and frequent volcanic eruptions. The interior consists of a volcanic plateau with sand and lava fields, mountains and glaciers, and many glacial rivers flow to the sea through the lowlands. Iceland is warmed by the Gulf Stream and has a temperate climate, despite being at a latitude just south of the Arctic Circle. Its latitude and marine influence keep summers chilly, and most of its islands have a polar climate.
According to the Landnámabók, an ancient manuscript, the settlement of Iceland began in 874 AD, when the Norwegian chieftain Ingólfr Arnarson became the island's first permanent settler. In following centuries, Norwegians and to a lesser extent other Scandinavians, immigrated to Iceland, bringing with them thralls (i.e., slaves or serfs) of Gaelic origin. The island was governed as an independent commonwealth under the native parliament, the Althing, one of the world's oldest functioning legislative assemblies. After a period of civil strife, Iceland acceded to Norwegian rule in the 13th century. In 1397, Iceland followed Norway's integration into the Kalmar Union along with the kingdoms of Denmark and Sweden, coming under de facto Danish rule upon its dissolution in 1523. The Danish kingdom introduced Lutheranism by force in 1550, and the Treaty of Kiel formally ceded Iceland to Denmark in 1814.
In this Dossier
- ⭐ Core Definition: Ingólfr Arnarson
- 👉 Ingólfr Arnarson in the context of Iceland
- Ingólfr Arnarson in the context of Reykjavík
- Ingólfr Arnarson in the context of 874
- Ingólfr Arnarson in the context of Hallveig Fróðadóttir
- Ingólfr Arnarson in the context of Hjörleifr Hróðmarsson
- Ingólfr Arnarson in the context of Alþingishúsið
Ingólfr Arnarson in the context of Reykjavík
Reykjavík is the capital and largest city of Iceland. It is located on the southern shore of the Faxaflói bay in southwest Iceland and has a latitude of 64°08′ N, making it the world's northernmost capital of a sovereign state. Reykjavík has a population of around 139,000 as of 2025, and the surrounding Capital Region has a population of around 249,000, constituting approximately 64% of Iceland's population.
According to Landnámabók, the settlement of Iceland began in Reykjavík when Ingólfur Arnarson arrived from Norway in the year 874. For over 900 years following this, there was no urban development; the city was officially founded in 1786 as a trading town and grew steadily as it transformed into its current state as the centre of Iceland's cultural, economic, and governmental activity. It is popular with tourists and is consistently ranked as one of the cleanest, safest, and most environmentally friendly cities in the world.
Ingólfr Arnarson in the context of 874
Year 874 (DCCCLXXIV) was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar.
Ingólfr Arnarson in the context of Hallveig Fróðadóttir
Hallveig Fróðadóttir (fl. 870s) is traditionally considered Iceland's first female settler. She was married to Íngolfr Arnarson, the first settler of Iceland and founder of Reykjavík.
According to Landnámabók, she was the daughter of Fróði and the sister of Loft the Old. She and Íngolfr had a son, Þorsteinn, who established an early thing at Kjalarnes. Through him, she was the grandmother of the lawspeaker Þorkell máni Þorsteinsson. Another child, Þórnýja, is mentioned in the late Kjalnesinga saga.
Ingólfr Arnarson in the context of Hjörleifr Hróðmarsson
Hjǫrleifr Hróðmarsson (Old Norse: [ˈhjɔrˌlɛivz̠ ˈhroːðˌmɑrsˌson]; Modern Icelandic: Hjörleifur Hróðmarsson [ˈçœrˌleiːvʏr ˈr̥ouðˌmar̥sˌsɔːn]; Modern Norwegian: Leif Rodmarsson) was an early settler in Iceland. The story of the early settlement of Iceland is told in the compilation known as Landnámabók.
Hjörleifr was the blood brother of Ingólfr Arnarson, the first settler of Iceland in the late 9th century. While raiding in Ireland, he found an underground passage and killed a man to take his sword. From this event his original name Leifr was lengthened to Hjǫrleifr (Old Norse hjǫrr: 'sword'). Hjörleifr settled on land on the mountain Hjörleifshöfði (east of Vík) which was named after him. He was later murdered by his thralls, many of whom were Irish or Scottish. The fugitive slaves were killed by Ingólfr Arnarson, thereby saving all the women who were held captive by the slaves.
Ingólfr Arnarson in the context of Alþingishúsið
Alþingishúsið (Icelandic pronunciation: [ˈalˌθiɲcɪsˌhuːsɪθ], The Parliament House) is a classical 19th-century structure which stands by Austurvöllur in central Reykjavík, Iceland. It houses Alþingi, the Icelandic parliament. The building was designed by Ferdinand Meldahl and built using hewn Icelandic dolerite from 1880 to 1881.
The reliefs on the tympanums of the four outermost windows on the first floor represent the four landvættir of Iceland: a dragon, a vulture, a giant and a bull, momentarily appeased by Ingólfur Arnarson when he first landed in Iceland.