Establishment of the Althing

In 930 CE, following the settlement of Iceland, the ruling chiefs established the Alþingi (Althing), a national assembly held each summer at Þingvellir. This assembly, sometimes considered the world's oldest parliament, allowed Icelandic chieftains (Goðar) to amend laws, settle disputes, and appoint juries. Laws were memorized and recited by the elected Lawspeaker, as they were not written down. Iceland had no central executive power, so law enforcement was left to the people, often leading to feuds, which later inspired many of the Icelandic sagas.

During the early centuries of the Icelandic Commonwealth, the country experienced steady growth. Icelandic explorers and settlers from this period ventured as far as southwest Greenland and eastern Canada, as described in sagas such as the Saga of Erik the Red and the Greenland Saga. This period of exploration and expansion contributed to the country's rich cultural legacy and storytelling traditions.