Timeline of the history of Iceland

9th Century	825: Dicuil, an Irish Monk refers to fellow monks who spent the summer on an island which they referred to as "Thule", far to the north. 874: Ingólfur Arnarson becomes the first man to settle permanently in Iceland
10th Century	930: Alþingi founded 985-986: Icelandic explorers find Greenland 1000: Christianity is adopted by the decision of Þorgeir Ljósvetningagoði
11th Century	~1015: The "Fimmtardómur" court is established 1085: Ísleifur Gissurarson becomes the first bishop of Iceland ~1096: A tithe is instigated by the church authorities
12th Century	1104: An eruption of the volcano Hekla destroys a settlement in Þjórsárdalur 1106: Jón Ögmundsson is made the second of bishop of Iceland, in Hólar 1122-1133: A cloister is founded in Þingeyri. Ari Þorgilsson writes Íslendingabók. 1197: Jón Loftsson, the most powerful chieftain in Iceland, dies.
13th Century	1208: Kolbeinn Tumason dies at the hands of bishop Guðmundur Arason's men in The Battle of Víðines 1238: The Battle of Örlygsstaðir 1241: Snorri Sturluson is murdered. 1244: Flóabardagi - Iceland's largest domestic naval battle 1253: Flugumýrarbrenna, a failed attempt to murder Gissur Þorvaldsson, Jarl of Iceland. 1262: The signing of Old Covenant (Icelandic: "Gamli sáttmáli") leads to Icelanders become subjects of the King of Norway.
14th Century	1308: The jarldom of Iceland is abolished 1357: The first Icelandic bishop with Papal authority 1361: Smiður Andrésson and Jón Skráveifa killed in Grund 1362: A volcanic eruption in Öræfajökull destroys Litlahérað 1375: The Skálholt Agreement
15th Century	1402-1404: The Great Plague 1412: The English start fishing near the coasts of Iceland 1419: Icelanders demand that the king grant them freedom to engage in trade as they wish 1433: Jón Gerreksson, bishop of Skálholt is drowned in Brúará 1446: Bishop Guðmundur Arason is stripped of his property and honour 1450: Langaréttarbót 1467: Björn Þorleifsson is murdered by the English in Rif 1474: Miklabæjarrán 1491: Píningsdómur 1494-1495: The second Plague
16th Century	1501: English merchants plunder Bessastaðir 1513: "Leiðarhólmsskrá" 1522: "Sveinsstaðafundur" 1539: Gissur Einarsson is made bishop 1541: The Skálholt see turns Lutheran 1550: Bishop Jón Arason and his sons are beheaded in Skálholt 1551: The Hólar see turns Lutheran 1559: The English are driven from Vestmannaeyjar 1571: Guðbrandur Þorláksson becomes bishop of Hólar 1584: "Guðbrandsbiblía", the first Icelandic bible, is published
17th Century	1602: The king of Denmark grants Danish merchants monopoly on trade with Iceland 1615: "Spánverjavígin" 1625: The first person is burnt alive for witchcraft 1627: "Tyrkjaránið" (The Turkish Abductions): several hundred Icelanders are kidnapped by Muslim raiders 1639: Brynjólfur Sveinsson becomes bishop of Skálholt 1656: Kirkjuból witch trial 1656: The Flateyjarbók manuscript is sent to Denmark 1662: Icelanders are made to accept the absolute monarchy of the King of Denmark 1666: The Passion Psalms are composed by Hallgrímur Pétursson.
18th Century	1703: First Icelandic census 1707: The bubonic plague spreads in Iceland. A quarter of the population dies. 1712: Jarðabók is completed 1720: The manuscripts of Árni Magnússon are moved to Denmark ~1760: Icelanders start exporting salted fish to Spain 1783-1785: "Móðuharðindin" - a volcanic eruption destroys a great deal of the livestock in Iceland, causing famine and misery 1787: Danish trade monopoly ceases
19th Century	1800: The Althing is abolished 1801: The bishoprics of Skálholt and Hólar are united, located in Reykjavík 1805: The Bessastaðaskóli is founded 1807-1815: Trade with Iceland all but disappears due to the Napoleonic Wars 1809: Jørgen Jørgensen ("Jörundur hundadagakonungur") seizes power in Iceland and declares independence, but is deposed by the Danes shortly afterwards 1811: Jón Sigurðsson is born 1835: The first copy of "Fjölnir" is published 1841: Jón Sigurðsson starts publishing New Associated Writings ("Ný félagsrit") 1845: The Althing is resurrected, and the house of the Learned school of Reykjavík is opened. Jónas Hallgrímsson dies. 1851: "Þjóðfundurinn" 1855: The Danes grant Icelanders free trade 1871: The Danish Parliament passes the "Stöðulög" laws 1874: The King of Denmark visits Iceland and grants Icelanders a constitution. 1000 years of settlement celebrated throughout the country. 1875: First session of the restored Althing which has the power to pass laws. The Askja volcano erupts. 1879: Jón Sigurðsson dies. 1880-1890: The climate grows much colder, driving many Icelanders to emigrate to the New World. 1885: Icelanders start demanding a review of the constitution from the Danes
20th Century	1915: Universal suffrage 1916: The political parties Alþýðuflokkurinn and Framsóknarflokkurinn are founded 1918: Iceland becomes a sovereign, independent nation. The Danish King remains head of state. 1922: "Jarðræktarlögin" 1929: The Independence Party ("Sjálfstæðisflokkurinn") is founded 1930: The Icelandic Communist Party is founded. The Icelandic State Radio ("Ríkisútvarpið") begins broadcasting 1939: Following the occupation of Denmark by Nazi Germany, a national emergency government is formed under Sveinn Björnsson 1940: The British invade, violating Icelandic neutrality 1941: The United States Army replaces the British occupation force 1944: Iceland becomes an independent republic, severing the last political ties to Denmark 1946: The Keflavik Agreement 1948: Iceland receives Marshall Aid from the United States 1949: Iceland joins the North Atlantic Treaty Organization 1951: The United States Army establishes a base in Keflavík 1952: Fishing limits extended to 4 miles. Ásgeir Ásgeirsson becomes president 1958: Fishing limits extended to 12 miles 1963: Volcanic eruption forms Surtsey 1966: The Icelandic State Television ("Ríkissjónvarpið") begins its first broadcasts 1968: Kristján Eldjárn becomes president. Collapse in the fishing industry 1970: Iceland joins the European Free Trade Association 1972: Fishing limits extended to 50 miles 1973: Volcanic eruption in the Westman Islands 1975: Fishing limits extended to 200 miles 1980: Vigdís Finnbogadóttir becomes president of Iceland, the first woman in the world to become elected head of state 1994: Iceland joins the European Economic Area
21st Century	2006: The United States Army abandons the military base in Keflavík, thus ending a 55-year U.S. military presence in Iceland

References

* Árni Daníel Júlíusson, Jón Ólafur Ísberg, Helgi Skúli Kjartansson "Íslenskur sögu atlas: 1. bindi: Frá öndverðu til 18. aldar" Almenna bókafélagið, Reykjavík 1989