Thehistoryofwar

The Arctic War of 1647

The Arctic War of 1647 was a struggle between Iceland, Greenland, Norway, and Poland. The war lasted 2 years (1647-1649). Greenland's hunger for more territory led them to invade Iceland in the year 1647. They were met with heavy resistance from the start, but Iceland's resources quickly started to dwindle. By the end of 1648, Iceland had almost fallen to Greenland. With no way of defeating Greenland on their own, the Icelanders looked to Norway for aid. In the of Summer 1648, Norwegian soldiers had reached Iceland.

The Norwegian alliance

With reinforcements fighting for them, Iceland quickly gained ground on the Greenlanders. By Fall of 1648, the Greenlanders were pushed back into one small city. The city, Bolungarvik, provided the Greenlanders with a sufficient defensive position. Because of the defensive position that Bolungarvik provided, a standoff began. For months, no attack occurred. This time was used by the Icelandic warriors to go and be with their family. From what we know, the Icelanders got to stay with their familes for a little more than a month before returning to the battle field.

Polish arrival

In Spring of 1649, Poland's military arrived on the shores of Bolungarvik. The Poles had come to Greenlands aid. It's said that Greenland promised Poland half of Iceland. Since Poland was now helping Greenland, The Norwegians backed out of the fight and headed home. The Icelanders acted quickly and called out to Gaul which is modern day France. In a swift reply, King Louis XIV sent forty ships with soldiers and supplies.

Louis XIV's helping hand

When no one else would help them, Iceland found what they needed in Gaul's King, Louis XIV. He sent his soldiers ready for battle. Louis XIV's soldiers were well trained and almost all were war vetrans. To this day, no one knows exactly why Louis XIV sent his troops to save Iceland. Many believe that one of his mistresses was from Iceland. Whether he had special interests in Iceland or not, Louis XIV used his resources to try and save Iceland.

Battle of Hòll

The Battle of Hòll was the most bloody and important battle during the length of the conflict. The Polish and Greenland forces moved to a place called Hòll where they would make ready for battle. The Gauls and Icelanders got in position and began to move within a football field of the enemy. And the battle began. It's estimated that 12,000 men died during The Battle of Hòll. In the end, the Icelanders pushed the Greenlanders and Poles out of Iceland.

An enlightened Iceland

After stopping Greenland's attack, Iceland sent a strong message to Greenland. The two governments decided to work out a truce. In return for their mistake, Greenland would export food and other resources to Iceland for no charge. From 1649 to 1653, Iceland had a relatively peaceful time as a country. King Louis XIV even had universities built in Iceland so that the Icelanders could become well educated.

Russian Occupation

Six years after The Arctic War of 1647, The Russian Federation invaded Iceland. This time, No one came to their rescue. With no other option, Icelanders took to the scorched earth tactic. Burning farms, fields, and buildings. According to many historians, this tactic worked as it was meant and drove Russia out within four years. Since 1657, Iceland has had no more invasions and has not seen war.