Eggert Ólafsson, born in 1726 in the island community of Svefneyjar in Breiðafjörður, stands as one of Iceland’s leading figures of the 18th century. Best remembered as an explorer, writer and an active defender of the Icelandic language, Eggert helped lay the groundwork for how Icelanders would come to see themselves well into the modern era.
Shaping the Icelandic nation through learning and travel
Raised on a farm amongst a sizable family, Eggert went on to study an unusually broad range of subjects at the University of Copenhagen. From natural sciences and law to Classics and agriculture, his education reflected the ambitions of an era when Iceland was looking outward for new knowledge. Although he spent significant periods in Denmark, Eggert’s heart remained tied to his homeland, a loyalty evident in both his actions and his writings.
Between 1752 and 1757, Eggert undertook a lengthy research journey around Iceland with his colleague Bjarni Pálsson, later to become Iceland’s first Director of Health. Commissioned by the Royal Danish Academy of Sciences, their trip surveyed the country’s natural scenery and society. They documented their observations and put forward proposals aimed at improving daily life in the regions they visited. In winter months, Eggert would work on his writings in Viðey, following a pattern set decades earlier by the scholar Árni Magnússon during his own travels.
Voice of Icelandic identity
Eggert’s work did not end with observation and documentation. He was a pioneering advocate for the preservation of the Icelandic language, at a time when it was undergoing considerable change. Some credit him as the greatest language conservationist of the 18th century. He also developed proposals for coordinated Icelandic spelling, though his suggestions differ from the modern standard.
Eggert’s literary output was broad, ranging from detailed scientific treatises to lyrical poetry that sought to inspire a sense of Icelandic pride and shared purpose. His major work, “Reise igiennem Island” (Travels in Iceland), published posthumously in 1772, is regarded as a foundational text about Iceland’s people and nature. The book was translated into German, French and, in part, English. Other works included poems that championed patriotism, as well as practical texts on subjects like horticulture and cookery. His “Pipar í öllum mat” (Pepper in All Food), composed in the 1750s, is considered the oldest known Icelandic cookbook.
Eggert’s death in 1768 came tragically when he and his wife, Ingibjörg Halldórsdóttir, drowned as their boat capsized in the powerful waters of Breiðafjörður. Tributes from later poets, including a commemorative poem by Matthías Jochumsson, reflected how deeply Eggert shaped Icelandic culture. Historian Guðmundur Hálfdanarson sees him as a key forerunner of Icelandic nationalism, helping to forge an evolving sense of national identity that persists today.
Sources
- Wikipedia
- Wikipedia (Icelandic) in Icelandic
