The black hills of Svarthaedir as seen today

History of Svarthaedir

Old History - To be replaced

The earliest permanent settlers came to Svarthaedir in about 800 BP. Cabotenian Alf-Björn Eriksson, son of Styrbjörn "the Brave", discovered the unpopulated Svarthaedir. Over the following century, tens of thousend of people emigrated to the islands. As people learned to navigate the direct way between Tenia and Svarthadeir, the lands of the Skräings were soon to be forgotten and the Vaerish colonies there to disappear for unclear reasons. Svarthaedir became an intergrated part of Vaering until it gained its independence after the defeat of Vaering in the Lendosan wars.

A representative form of government was established in 630 BP at Reykvellir with the parliament as the deliberating body. Missionaries introduced Cruisanism, which was adopted as the state religion in about 500 BP.

Home rule was obtained in 174, with the change of name from Svarthaedir to Islandia. Islandia(Svarthaedir) then became self-governing in 218 but still was a protectorate. In 257 Islandia(Svarthaedir) proclaimed itself an independent kingdom.

The country has endured many difficult periods. For about 300 years a plague reportedly killed up to 50 percent of the population. Volcanoes caused much destruction in Svarthaedir in the last centuries. In 223 a volcanic eruption on the island necessitated the evacuation of 50,000 people.

Despite many problems, Svarthaedir maintained a high level of economic development through the 270s. In the 280s the country was set back somewhat by a recession due mainly to a decrease in the fish catch.

In 299, Svarthaedir expanded its territories to the south and the east by getting a slice of Glaciaria territory (previously part of the Lendian Glaciaria) and Eastern Islands (previously Gronkian New Periala, Land of Fem, Yug and New Arunde). With these new territories, Svarthaedir became the leading fishing nation throughout Vexillium.