Poet. He is remembered as an early 19th century poet from Iceland. He was born on the farm "Hraun" in Northern Iceland in a minister's household. When he was nine years old, his father accidently drowned in a lake, making his childhood difficult. After high-school, he entered Copenhagen University in Denmark to study law, natural science, and literature. Then he worked as a defense attorney in several cases before the national court but eventually abandoned law. While in Denmark, he became an active advocate of Iceland's independence from Denmark, and together with other Icelandic students he founded the magazine "Fjölnir," becoming a prolific author. He is generally acknowledged to be the most important and beloved Icelandic poet and is called "The Bard of Iceland. Translating numerous books to his native language, he translated the 1842 book on astronomy and is given credit for the new Icelandic words for ellipse and planet. For this, his birthday is known as Icelandic Language Day. He documented several scientific findings. In 1845 he fell down the staircase at his lodgings in Copenhagen and broke his leg, but it was several days before he agreed to be hospitalized. As a result of gangrene, he died a few hours before his leg was scheduled to be amputated. At first, he was buried in Assistens Cemetery in Denmark. In 1946 his remains were returned home to Iceland for reburial in the church grounds at the Thingvellir national park. To celebrate his 200th birthday the period from November 16, 2006 to November 16, 2007 was officially proclaimed "Jónas Year" in Iceland. A larger-than-life statue of him is located in Hljómskálarður.

Poet. He is remembered as an early 19th century poet from Iceland. He was born on the farm "Hraun" in Northern Iceland in a minister's household. When he was nine years old, his father accidently drowned in a lake, making his childhood difficult. After high-school, he entered Copenhagen University in Denmark to study law, natural science, and literature. Then he worked as a defense attorney in several cases before the national court but eventually abandoned law. While in Denmark, he became an active advocate of Iceland's independence from Denmark, and together with other Icelandic students he founded the magazine "Fjölnir," becoming a prolific author. He is generally acknowledged to be the most important and beloved Icelandic poet and is called "The Bard of Iceland. Translating numerous books to his native language, he translated the 1842 book on astronomy and is given credit for the new Icelandic words for ellipse and planet. For this, his birthday is known as Icelandic Language Day. He documented several scientific findings. In 1845 he fell down the staircase at his lodgings in Copenhagen and broke his leg, but it was several days before he agreed to be hospitalized. As a result of gangrene, he died a few hours before his leg was scheduled to be amputated. At first, he was buried in Assistens Cemetery in Denmark. In 1946 his remains were returned home to Iceland for reburial in the church grounds at the Thingvellir national park. To celebrate his 200th birthday the period from November 16, 2006 to November 16, 2007 was officially proclaimed "Jónas Year" in Iceland. A larger-than-life statue of him is located in Hljómskálarður.

Bio by: Erik Skytte