The early history of the Faroe
Islands is not clear. It appears that about the beginning of the 9th
century Grim Kamban, a Norwegian
emigrant who had left his country to escape the tyranny of Harold
Haarfager, settled in the islands. It is said that a small colony of Irish
and Scottish monks were
found in Suduroy and dispersed by him. The Faeroes then already bore their name
of Sheep Islands, as these animals had been found to flourish here exceedingly.
Early in the 11th
century Sigmund or Sigismund Bresterson, whose family had flourished in
the southern islands but had been almost exterminated by invaders from the northern,
was sent from Norway,
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whither he had escaped, to take possession of the islands for Olaf
Tryggvason, king of Norway. He introduced Christianity,
and, though he was subsequently murdered, Norwegian supremacy was upheld, and
continued till 1386, when the
islands became part of the double monarchy Denmark/Norway.
English adventurers gave
great trouble to the inhabitants in the 16th
century, and the name of Magnus Heineson, a native of Streymoy, who was
sent by Frederick
II to clear the seas, is still celebrated in many songs and stories. There
was formerly a bishopric at Kirkebö, south of Tórshavn,
where remains of the cathedral may be seen; but it was abolished at the introduction
of Protestantism
by Christian
III. Denmark retained possession of the Faeroes at the Peace of Kiel in
1815. A high degree of self-government
was attained in 1948.
