History/Søga

It is believed that the first monks settled in the Faroe Islands in the 6th century. They came in small, round coracles, which are little, round boats made from hides streteched over a wooden frame.

According to stories, Grímur Kamban was the first Norseman who settled there in the 9th century. Modern day Faroese people descended from the Norse, but some words in Faroese are from Gaelic: anything that shows a close connection between the Faroese and Celtic communties of Britain. Some Faroese place names are from Gaelic like Mykinnes. That is Gaelic and means "pig Island." And Dímun, which means " Double Mountain."

The Norsemen, who inhabited the Faroes, were farmers. They had sheep and traded with Britain and the rest of Scandanavia. They weren't vikings. They were heathens at first, but in 999 A.D. the islands were converted to Christianity. The settlers established a parliament that they called "Ting". They met at Tinganes in Tórshavn, and there they had discussions about law.

In the 12th and 13th century, the Norse received a big kingdom and control over the North Atlantic, especially the Faroe Islands, Iceland and Greenland. That is how it ended up under Norse control. In the 14th century, the Faroes became a Norse kingdom in union with Denmark. And even after Denmark lost Norway, the Faroes still belonged to Denmark.

The Danish brought religious reformation to the Faroes in 1538, and became the official language of administration, church and school. This started with the trade monopoly. That meant that all business from the Faroes was run by Denmark. This was a hard time for the Faroes.

Change first began in the 19th century. The Faroe Islands became a Danish county in 1816. That resulted in the law being dissolved. Trade monopoly was in progress until 1856, but change was starting to come. Economic situations improved, which was started by the fishing industry. The awakening nationalist movement since the 19th century resulted in progress for the culture. Political situations began to improve right up until 1948.

The nationalist movement began on Boxing Day with the Christmas Meeting December 26, 1888. Some Faroe Islanders met in the assembly house, where they discussed about how they could best protect Faroese goals and culture. The first talk was about cultural freedom, but from 1906 the political movement had two parties: the Union Party and the Independence Party. In 1918, the Independence party had a majority for the first time in the Faroese national assembly.

While World War II laid waste, Denmark was occupied by Germany. The Faroe Islands were occupied by England. The Faroese people governed themselves for so long under the war, which was in agreement with interests of their allies. When the war was over, half of the Faroese people wanted home rule from Denmark, and on September 14, 1946, there was a referendum on secession. That was the first time the Faroese asked about their will to have home rule or if they still wanted to be part of the Danish Kingdom.

Hildið verður, at írskir munkar settust niður í Føroyar í sættu øld. Tey komu í smáum, rundum skinnbátum, sum lítil, rundur bátur gjørdur úr húðum, sum eru spentar yvir eina viðar-rammu.

Sambært søgnini, var Grímur Kamban fyrsti norðbúgvin, sum settist niður har fyrst í níggjundu øld. Nútíðarføroyskt stavar frá norrønum, men nøkur orð í føroyskum eru úr gæliskum, nakað sum vísir, at tætt samband má hava verið millim Føroyar og tey keltisku samfeløgini í Bretlandi. Staðarnøvn sum Mykines. Tað er gæliskt og merkir svínoyggin. Og Dímun, sum merkir tvífjall.

Tann norðbúgvin vóru bøndur, hødu seyð og handlaðu við Bretland og restina av Skandinavia. Teir vóru ikki víkingar. Tey vóru heidnir í fyrstuni, men í 999 C.E. blivu oyggjarnar kristnaðar. Landnámsmennir grundløgdu sitt egna parlament, sum teir kallaðu ting. Teir hittast á Tórshavn, og har skiftu orðum lóginar.

Í 12. og 13. øld fungu norskir kongar størri og størri vald yvir økjunum í Norðurstlantshavi, serliga Føroyum, Íslandi or Grønlandi. Tað endaði við, at londini komu undir norskt vald.  Síðst í 14. øld bleiv Noreg eitt kongsríki í unión við Danmark, og sjálvt eftir at Danmark misti Noreg, hava Føroyar hoyrt til Danmark.

Danir komu við trúbótini til Føroyar í 1538, og danskt bleiv umsitingar, kirkju or skúlamál. Eisini byrjaðu teir við einahandli. Tað merkti, at allar handil upp á Føroyar mátti um Danmark. Hetta vøru ringar tíðir fyri Føroyar.

Broytingar komu til Føroyar fyrst í 19. øld. Føroyar blivu eitt danskt amt í 1816. Tað førdi við sær, at løgtingið varð avtiklið. Einahandlin var fram til 1856, men so byrjaði broyting at koma í. Fíggjarstøðan batnaði, sum fiskaskapurin tók dik á seg. Tann vaknandi tjóðskaparrørslan síðst í 19. øld førdi við sær framburð fyri mál og mentan landsins. Politiska støðan batnaði eisini, men Føroyar vóru støðugst eitt amt líka til 1948.

Tann tjøðskaparrøslan byraði jøladag 2. víð jølafundinum desember 26, 1888. Tá hittust nakrir føroyingar í tinghúsinum, har tey skiftu orð um, hvussu tey best varðveittu føroyskt mál og mentan. Fyrst var talen um mentanarligt frælsi, men frá 1906 var rørslan politisk við tveimum flokkum: Sambandflokkurin og Sjálvstýrisflokkinum. Í 1918, hevði Sjálvstýrisflokkurin fyri fyrstu ferð meirilutan í løgtinginum.

Meðan heimsbardagi herjaði, var Danmark tikið av týskinum. Føroyar vóru hersettar av Onglandi. Undir krígnum stýrdu vit so at siga at sjálvi, so leingi sum tað var í samsvari við áhugamálini hjá teimum sameindu. Tá ið kríggið varð liðugt, var ein partur av fólkinum fyri sjálvstýri frá Danmark, og hin september 14, 1946 var fólkaatkvøða um loysing. Hetta var fyrsta ferðin, føroyingar vórdu spurdi, um teir vildu hava sjálvstýri ella framhaldandi vildu vera partur av tí danska kongaríkinum.