Stöðulög
Encyclopedia
Stöðulögin were laws passed by Denmark
in 1871, determining the standing of Iceland
in relation to the Danish state. The laws were followed by the granting of Iceland's first constitution in 1874.
Some time had passed since the abolition of absolute monarchy
of the Danish king in 1848, and the Danish parliament
had acquired legislative powers, while the Icelandic Althing
was only a consultative assembly. The status of the Constitution of Denmark
in Iceland was disputed: while the Danish government and legal experts claimed that the constitution did include Iceland, even though it had only to a limited degree become effective there, Icelandic politicians and Jón Sigurðsson
in particular stated that the constitution was not valid in Iceland as it had never been formally made public there and as the royal promise that Iceland would be consulted on the constitution had not been fulfilled. The Danish trade monopoly had been abolished in 1855, and the Icelanders' struggle for independence, led by Jón Sigurðsson and his supporters, found little backing in Copenhagen
.
The proposed Icelandic constitution was accepted by the Althing
with some changes, but their amendments were turned down by the Danish parliament in 1867. The Danes passed the Stöðulög, which declared Iceland to be an inseparable part of Denmark. As compensation for this, the Danish state was to pay the Icelanders 50 thousand rigsdaler
for the next ten years, decreasing to 30 thousand the following 20 years. The Icelanders were not happy with these laws, and the Althing voted against them 10 votes to 14 but accepted the financial subsidy. According to the bill, the new office of "Land-Chief of Iceland" was introduced. This official was to run the country according to orders from Denmark. The first to occupy this office was Hilmar Finsen, who began his duties on 1 April 1873.
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
in 1871, determining the standing of Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
in relation to the Danish state. The laws were followed by the granting of Iceland's first constitution in 1874.
Some time had passed since the abolition of absolute monarchy
Absolute monarchy
Absolute monarchy is a monarchical form of government in which the monarch exercises ultimate governing authority as head of state and head of government, his or her power not being limited by a constitution or by the law. An absolute monarch thus wields unrestricted political power over the...
of the Danish king in 1848, and the Danish parliament
Rigsdag
Rigsdagen was the name of the Parliament of Denmark from 1849 to 1953.Rigsdagen was Denmark's first parliament, and it was incorporated in the Constitution of 1849. It was a bicameral legislature, consisting of two houses, the Folketing and the Landsting. The distinction between the two houses was...
had acquired legislative powers, while the Icelandic Althing
Althing
The Alþingi, anglicised variously as Althing or Althingi, is the national parliament of Iceland. The Althingi is the oldest parliamentary institution in the world still extant...
was only a consultative assembly. The status of the Constitution of Denmark
Constitution of Denmark
The Constitutional Act of Denmark is the Kingdom of Denmark's constitution, or fundamental law. Originally verified in 1849, the last revision was signed on 5 June 1953 as "the existing law, for all to unswerving comply with, the Constitutional Act of Denmark".-Idea and structure:The main...
in Iceland was disputed: while the Danish government and legal experts claimed that the constitution did include Iceland, even though it had only to a limited degree become effective there, Icelandic politicians and Jón Sigurðsson
Jón Sigurðsson
Jón Sigurðsson was the leader of the 19th century Icelandic independence movement.Born at Hrafnseyri, near Arnarfjörður in the Westfjords area of Iceland, he was the son of a pastor, Sigurður Jónsson. He moved to Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1833 to study grammar and history at the university there...
in particular stated that the constitution was not valid in Iceland as it had never been formally made public there and as the royal promise that Iceland would be consulted on the constitution had not been fulfilled. The Danish trade monopoly had been abolished in 1855, and the Icelanders' struggle for independence, led by Jón Sigurðsson and his supporters, found little backing in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
.
The proposed Icelandic constitution was accepted by the Althing
Althing
The Alþingi, anglicised variously as Althing or Althingi, is the national parliament of Iceland. The Althingi is the oldest parliamentary institution in the world still extant...
with some changes, but their amendments were turned down by the Danish parliament in 1867. The Danes passed the Stöðulög, which declared Iceland to be an inseparable part of Denmark. As compensation for this, the Danish state was to pay the Icelanders 50 thousand rigsdaler
Danish rigsdaler
The rigsdaler was the name of several currencies used in Denmark until 1873. The similarly named Reichsthaler, riksdaler and rijksdaalder were used in Germany and Austria-Hungary, Sweden and the Netherlands, respectively....
for the next ten years, decreasing to 30 thousand the following 20 years. The Icelanders were not happy with these laws, and the Althing voted against them 10 votes to 14 but accepted the financial subsidy. According to the bill, the new office of "Land-Chief of Iceland" was introduced. This official was to run the country according to orders from Denmark. The first to occupy this office was Hilmar Finsen, who began his duties on 1 April 1873.