Mirror of Society 1770

Commoners and officials write to the King of Denmark

The Iceland Commission was appointed by the King of Denmark on 20 March 1770. The Iceland Commission was expected to investigate general conditions in Iceland and submit proposals for improvement. The commission members were Andreas Holt, deputy commissioner from Oslo; Þorkell Fjeldsted, lawspeaker in the Faroe Islands; and Thomas Windekilde, former merchant in Iceland. Eyjólfur Jónsson, royal astronomer in Copenhagen, was appointed secretary.

The commission resided in Iceland from spring 1770 to autumn 1771 to gain first-hand experience of all conditions. They strived to get in touch with both the general populace and officials. They had their headquarters in Reykjavík but also travelled to the Althing at Þingvellir.

Subjects to be investigated by the commission were listed in detail, providing a good insight into the ideas that the authorities had concerning progress in Iceland. These include population numbers, doctors and midwives, fishing and fish processing, free trade, corn mills and millstones, grain farming, livestock farming, the sale of crown land, dividing the country into two districts, national defence, manufacturing operations in Reykjavík, artisans, minerals, road improvements and illicit trading.  

Last but not least, the commission was instructed to encourage the general public to write about what was on their mind and describe their conditions and opinions. This they did in abundance, making the Iceland Commission's documents an invaluable documentation of life in late 18^th century Iceland.