Summary of article in Billed Bladet #02, 2016.
Written by Ulrik Ulriksen.
Prior to Joachim and Marie's official visit to Iceland later this month, the two of them went to an evening event at the Danish-Icelandic Society in Copenhagen, in celebration of its 100th anniversary. - That is also why J&M are going to Iceland.
Our Marie wore a black dress from Rikke Gudnitz. (Yes, you'll see it eventually).
Among those present was the Icelandic President, Olafur Ragnar Grimsson.
The dress code was smoking (I can never remember the English name, black butterfly-suit). Icelandic delicacies were served and the evening ended with dancing, including the menuet Les Lanciers.
- It looks like J&M are handling the DRF coverage of the various diplomatic events here in DK.
- Iceland was colonized by the first humans, Vikings, around the 800's, who established a surprisingly democratic society.
Later on the Norwegian kings took over and when Norway a few hundred years later de facto became a part of the Danish realm, so did Iceland, the Faeroe Islands and Greenland, and part of the Shetland Islands BTW.
When DK was occupied in 1940, Britain in return occupied Iceland and Faeroe Islands and in 1943 or 44 Iceland declared itself independent and became a republic.
Iceland was until the 1700's located at the very edge of the Danish realm. Greenland was only re-colonized in earnest at that time. Until then only Scandinavian traders, whale-hunters and temporary settlers of hunters made it to Greenland.
In fact when a volcano caused a "nuclear-winter" in Iceland, that caused starvation that killed off a considerable percentage of the populations it took months for the news to reach Copenhagen, let alone for a response to be organized and by then it was too late.
In the 1600 and early 1700's Iceland, just like parts of the waters around the British Isles, were raided by North African pirates who captured women and children for the slave markets. It has been estimated that well above a million Europeans were captured and sold as slaves in North Africa in that period.
Many converted and were set free, sometimes to pursue an illustrious career. Others were able to by themselves free or be ransomed. There were public fundraisings offering insurance for captured passengers, traders and (mainly skilled) sailors in case they were captured by pirates.
Looking forward to it. Its been a while since they have done a visit overseas. And thank you for the mini history lesson 
