The Protestant Reformation had been brought to…
1584 CE
The Protestant Reformation had been brought to Iceland by Christian III, king of Norway and Denmark from 1534 to 1559, who had gradually overcome the Icelandic people's resistance and by 1550 had established Lutheranism as the official religion.
When in 1570 Gudbrandur Thorláksson had become bishop of Hólar, a post he is to hold for fifty-six years, Protestantism still had only nominal acceptance.
Versed in theology, natural science, languages, and mathematics, he had begun an energetic campaign to make the conversion actual by education and publication of religious works.
In all he will publish eighty-four works, the most important of which is the Gudbrandsbiblia, a complete Bible in Icelandic, using Oddur Gottskálksson's New Testament.
Much of the Old Testament he has translated himself, and the work, published in 1584, adorned with woodcuts and ornamented initials, is a monument of literature and craftsmanship.
Copies command the price of two or three cows.