Garðarr Svavarsson was a 9th-century Norse explorer who is credited as the first known Viking to circumnavigate Iceland and realize that it was an island. His journey was one of the earliest Norse explorations of the North Atlantic, laying the groundwork for later Viking settlement in Iceland.
Background & Exploration
Garðarr was a Swedish Viking and merchant who set sail westward, possibly from modern-day Sweden or Denmark.
According to Landnámabók (The Book of Settlements), he was blown off course while sailing to the Hebrides or the Faroe Islands, leading him to discover Iceland around 860 AD.
Unlike earlier explorers who only saw parts of the land, Garðarr sailed around the entire coastline, confirming that Iceland was an island.
He wintered in Iceland at Húsavík, a location in the north of the island, and built a small settlement there.
Before leaving, he named the land Garðarshólmi (“Garðarr’s Isle”), though this name did not last.
Legacy
Although Garðarr did not settle permanently in Iceland, his exploration influenced later Vikings, including Flóki Vilgerðarson and Ingólfur Arnarson, who would eventually establish a lasting Norse colony.
Today, Húsavík—where Garðarr stayed—is one of the oldest known Viking sites in Iceland and a key location in its early history.
here is very little historical information about Garðarr Svavarsson’s family. Most of what we know about him comes from Landnámabók (The Book of Settlements), which focuses mainly on his voyage to Iceland rather than his personal life. However, based on Viking traditions and the limited records, here is what can be speculated:
Possible Family Connections
Father: Svavar (as his surname suggests), but no further details are recorded about him.
Wife: There are no known historical records mentioning a wife, though as a Viking noble or merchant, Garðarr would likely have had a spouse or concubine.
Children:
One known son: Uni Garðarsson – He is mentioned in Landnámabók as having attempted to claim land in Iceland after his father’s discovery. However, he was later killed by local settlers, which prevented his family from establishing a lasting presence in Iceland.
Since Garðarr did not settle permanently in Iceland, much of his family’s legacy was lost to history. His main contribution remains his circumnavigation of Iceland and confirming it as an island, influencing later Norse settlers.
