HOME





Björn Blöndal
Björn Auðunsson Blöndal (1 October 1787 – 23 June 1846) was an Icelandic District Commissioner and politician. He was a member of Alþingi from 1845 to 1846. He took the family name Blöndal during his years of study in Copenhagen. Björn played a significant role in the trial and execution of Agnes Magnúsdóttir and for the murder of . They were the last people to be executed in Iceland, being beheaded at Þrístapar near Vatnsdalshólar in Húnavatnshreppur on 12 January 1830. In popular culture Australian author Hannah Kent's novel Burial Rites was based on the story of Agnes and Friðrik and featured Björn as a character. References External links Biographyat Alþingi The (; ), anglicised as Althingi or Althing, is the supreme national parliament of Iceland. It is the oldest surviving parliament in the world. The Althing was founded in 930 at (' thing fields' or 'assembly fields'), about east of what la ... Resting placeat Garður.is (in Icelandic), ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


picture info

Althing
The (; ), anglicised as Althingi or Althing, is the Parliamentary sovereignty, supreme Parliament, national parliament of Iceland. It is the oldest surviving parliament in the world. The Althing was founded in 930 at ('Thing (assembly), thing fields' or 'assembly fields'), about east of what later became the country's capital, Reykjavík. After Iceland's union with Norway in 1262, the Althing lost its legislative power, which was not restored until 1904 when Iceland gained home rule from Denmark. For 641 years, the Althing did not serve as the parliament of Iceland; ultimate power rested with the Norwegian, and subsequently the Danish throne. Even after Iceland's union with Norway in 1262, the Althing still held its sessions at until 1800, when it was discontinued. It was restored in 1844 by royal decree and moved to Reykjavík. The restored Unicameralism, unicameral legislature first came together in 1845 and after 1874 operated in Bicameralism, two chambers with an addition ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


picture info

Copenhagen
Copenhagen ( ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a population of 1.4 million in the Urban area of Copenhagen, urban area. The city is situated on the islands of Zealand and Amager, separated from Malmö, Sweden, by the Øresund strait. The Øresund Bridge connects the two cities by rail and road. Originally a Vikings, Viking fishing village established in the 10th century in the vicinity of what is now Gammel Strand, Copenhagen became the capital of Denmark in the early 15th century. During the 16th century, the city served as the ''de facto'' capital of the Kalmar Union and the seat of the Union's monarchy, which governed most of the modern-day Nordic countries, Nordic region as part of a Danish confederation with Sweden and Norway. The city flourished as the cultural and economic centre of Scandinavia during the Renaissance. By the 17th century, it had become a regional centre of power, serving as the heart of the Danish government and Military history ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


picture info

1787 Births
Events January–March * January 9 – The North Carolina General Assembly authorizes nine commissioners to purchase of land for the seat of Chatham County. The town is named Pittsborough (later shortened to Pittsboro), for William Pitt the Younger. * January 11 – William Herschel discovers Titania and Oberon, two moons of Uranus. * January 19 – Mozart's '' Symphony No. 38'' is premièred in Prague. * February 2 – Arthur St. Clair of Pennsylvania is chosen as the new President of the Congress of the Confederation.''Harper's Encyclopaedia of United States History from 458 A. D. to 1909'', ed. by Benson John Lossing and, Woodrow Wilson (Harper & Brothers, 1910) p167 * February 4 – Shays' Rebellion in Massachusetts fails. * February 21 – The Confederation Congress sends word to the 13 states that a convention will be held in Philadelphia on May 14 to revise the Articles of Confederation. * February 28 – A charter is granted, ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


Burial Rites
''Burial Rites'' (2013) is a novel by Australian author Hannah Kent, based on a true story about the last woman to be executed in Iceland. Premise ''Burial Rites'' tells the story of Agnes Magnúsdóttir, a servant in northern Iceland who was condemned to death after the murder of two men, one of whom was her employer, and became the last woman put to death in Iceland in 1830. Background Kent was inspired to write ''Burial Rites'' during her time as an exchange student in Iceland when she was 17, where she learnt the story of Agnes Magnúsdóttir. She then made it the topic of her honours thesis and PhD at Flinders University, with additional mentoring by Geraldine Brooks. After this, Kent was awarded the Writing Australia Unpublished Manuscript Award in 2011. Publication ''Burial Rites'' was published in 2013 by Pan Macmillan in Australia, by Little, Brown in the US, and by Picador in the UK. Reviews ''Burial Rites'' was well-received by critics and other writer ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


Hannah Kent
Hannah Kent (born 1985) is an Australian writer, known for two novels – ''Burial Rites'' (2013) and ''The Good People'' (2016). Her third novel, ''Devotion'', was published in 2021, and a first memoir, ''Always Home, Always Homesick'', in May 2025. Early life and education Hannah Kent was born in 1985 and grew up in the Adelaide Hills of South Australia. As a four-year-old she had no friends, but found solace in discovering and reading books. She attended Heathfield High School in Heathfield. In 2003, after finishing school and having applied for a course in creative writing course at Flinders University, she spent a year away in Iceland as a Rotary International exchange student. She earned a PhD in creative writing at Flinders University, her thesis being the basis of her first novel, ''Burial Rites''. Career ''Kill Your Darlings'' In 2010, Kent co-founded the Australian literary journal '' Kill Your Darlings'' with Rebecca Starford. Novels In 2011 Kent won the inaugu ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


Húnavatnshreppur
Húnavatnshreppur () is a former rural municipality located in northwestern Iceland. History The municipality was formed on 1 January 2006 by the union of the former municipalities of Sveinsstaðahreppur , Torfalækjarhreppur , Svínavatnshreppur and Bólstaðarhlíðarhreppur . In 2022, the municipality merged with Blönduós to form Húnabyggð. Geography Húnavatn is one of the largest Icelandic municipalities. Its southern borders touch the glaciers of Hofsjökull and Langjökull. In the south are situated also the hot spring A hot spring, hydrothermal spring, or geothermal spring is a Spring (hydrology), spring produced by the emergence of Geothermal activity, geothermally heated groundwater onto the surface of the Earth. The groundwater is heated either by shallow ...s in Hveravellir. References External links * Former municipalities of Iceland Northwestern Region (Iceland) States and territories disestablished in 2022 Austur-Húnavatnssýsla< ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  




Vatnsdalshólar
Vatnsdalshólar ("Vatnsdalskullarna") is a hill group located in the Northwestern Region, Iceland. They are located at the northern end of Vatnsdalur in an area measuring approximately 5.5 km2. Landslides are common in Vatnsdalur valley, especially near the Vatnsdalshólar hills, which are composed of loose stone and gravel. Vatnsdalshólar was the site of Iceland's last executed capital punishment on January 12, 1830 with the beheading of farm servants Agnes Magnúsdóttir (33) and Friðrik Sigurdsson (19). They were accused of the murder of two farmers on March 14, 1828: Natan Ketilsson from Illugastaðir, and Pétur Jónsson from Geitaskarð. After a long trial heard by the Supreme Court in Copenhagen, the pair were sentenced to be executed. See also * Breast-shaped hill Some breast-shaped hills are named "wikt:pap#Etymology 2, pap", an archaic word for the breast or nipple of a woman, particularly those with a small hilltop protuberance. Such anthropomorphic geographic ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


Agnes Magnúsdóttir
Agnes Magnúsdóttir (27 October 1795 – 12 January 1830) was the last person to be executed in Iceland, along with Friðrik Sigurðsson. The pair were sentenced to death for the murder of Natan Ketilsson, a farmer in Illugastaðir in Vatnsnes, and Pétur Jónsson from Geitaskarð on 14 March 1828. They were executed by beheading in Vatnsdalshólar in Austur-Húnavatnssýsla on 12 January 1830. History Agnes had been described as an intelligent, imaginative and talented woman. Her appearance is disputed, but one source says she is "not visible", while another describes her as more complete and fun in her approach. Agnes was in her thirties and worked as a maid at Geitaskarð when she met Natan Ketilsson. At the same time they were attracted to each other and Agnes was hired at Illugastaðir for the next few days. Agnes no doubt hoped to become Natan's housekeeper and wife, and went to his home in Illugastaðir but when she got there this did not happen. Natan had chosen S ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


Blöndal
Blöndal is an Icelandic surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Auðunn Blöndal (born 1980), Icelandic television personality, actor, and comedian * Björn Blöndal (1787–1846), Icelandic District Commissioner (sýslumaður) and politician * Halldór Blöndal (born 1938), Icelandic politician of the Icelandic Independence Party * Lárus Blöndal (1836–1894), Icelandic sýslumaður and alþingismaður * Pétur Blöndal (1944–2015), Icelandic parliamentarian of the Icelandic Independence Party * Sigfús Blöndal (1874–1950), Icelandic language author and librarian * Sölvi Blöndal (born 1975), member of Icelandic rap rock band Quarashi Quarashi is an Icelandic rap rock band from Reykjavík. The group consists of rappers Hössi Ólafsson (later replaced by Egill Olafur Thorarensen), Ómar Örn Hauksson, Steinar Orri Fjeldsted, and Sölvi Blöndal (who also acted as producer, k ...
{{surname ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


picture info

Christian VIII Of Denmark
Christian VIII (18 September 1786 – 20 January 1848) was King of Denmark from 1839 to 1848 and, as Christian Frederick, King of Norway in 1814. Christian Frederick was the eldest son of Frederick, Hereditary Prince of Denmark, Hereditary Prince Frederick, a younger son of King Frederick V of Denmark and Norway. As his cousin Frederick VI of Denmark, Frederick VI had no sons, Christian Frederick was heir presumptive to the throne from 1808. Early years Birth and family Prince Christian Frederick of Denmark and Norway was born late in the morning on 18 September 1786 at Christiansborg Palace, the principal residence of the Danish Monarchy on the island of Slotsholmen in central Copenhagen. He was officially the eldest son of Hereditary Prince Frederick of Denmark and Norway and Duchess Sophia Frederica of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. His father was a younger son of the deceased King Frederick V of Denmark-Norway and his second wife, Duchess Juliana Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, an ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


Morgunblaðið
''Morgunblaðið'' (, ''The Morning Paper'') is an Icelandic daily newspaper. ''Morgunblaðið''s website, mbl.is, is the most popular website in Iceland. It is currently the country's only daily printed newspaper and the newspaper of record. History ''Morgunblaðið'' was founded by Vilhjálmur Finsen and Ólafur Björnsson, brother of Iceland's first president, Sveinn Björnsson. The first issue, only eight pages long, was published on 2 November 1913. On 25 February 1964, the paper first printed a caricature by Sigmúnd Jóhannsson which featured the first landings on Surtsey. He became a permanent cartoonist for ''Morgunblaðið'' in 1975 and worked there until October 2008. In a controversial decision, the owners of the paper decided in September 2009 to appoint Davíð Oddsson, a member of the Independence Party, Iceland's longest-serving Prime Minister and former Governor of the Central Bank, as one of the two editors of the paper. In May 2010, Helgi Sigurðsson w ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


picture info

Alþingi
The (; ), anglicised as Althingi or Althing, is the supreme national parliament of Iceland. It is the oldest surviving parliament in the world. The Althing was founded in 930 at (' thing fields' or 'assembly fields'), about east of what later became the country's capital, Reykjavík. After Iceland's union with Norway in 1262, the Althing lost its legislative power, which was not restored until 1904 when Iceland gained home rule from Denmark. For 641 years, the Althing did not serve as the parliament of Iceland; ultimate power rested with the Norwegian, and subsequently the Danish throne. Even after Iceland's union with Norway in 1262, the Althing still held its sessions at until 1800, when it was discontinued. It was restored in 1844 by royal decree and moved to Reykjavík. The restored unicameral legislature first came together in 1845 and after 1874 operated in two chambers with an additional third chamber taking on a greater role as the decades passed until 1991 when A ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]