Spánverjavígin
Encyclopedia
Spánverjavígin also known as the "Spanish Killings" or "Slaying of the Spaniards" was an Icelandic massacre
. Some Spanish Basque whalers went on a whaling expedition to Iceland and were killed after conflict with the people of Iceland in 1615 in the region of the Westfjords
.
whalers set up the world's first large-scale whaling industry in Terranova
. The center of this industry was some ten ports on the southern coast of Labrador
. During the peak years of the 1560s and 1570s the fleet comprised around 30 ships manned by up to 2,000 men, who killed in the region 400 whales each year. By the beginning of the seventeenth century Basque whaling had reached Iceland.
The year 1615 was a difficult year in Iceland
with ice up to shores until late summer and considerable loss of livestock. In mid-summer three Basque whaling vessels got into Reykjarfjörður in Vestfirðir. Icelanders and the Basques had a mutual agreement at the beginning as they both had benefited from the enterprise. When the ships were ready for departure in late September a terrible gale arose and the ships were driven on the rocks and crushed. Most of the crew members survived (approx. 80). The captains Pedro de Aguirre and Esteban de Telleria wintered at Vatneyri (Patreksfjörður
) and left for home the following year. The crew of Martin de Villafranca split into two groups; one entered Ísafjarðardjúp
, the other went to Bolungarvík
and later to Þingeyri
.
On 13 October Martin and the other 17 of his group were killed at Æðey and Sandeyri in Ísafjarðardjúp
, but on October 5 the rest of the crew were attacked on Fjallaskagi where 13 crew members were killed but one managed to flee. Captain Martín de Villafranca of San Sebastián
, whose father and grandfather had both been involved in Terra Nova
whaling was among those who were killed.
Two verdicts were instigated by sheriff Ari Magnússon of Ögur, Ísafjarðardjúp in October 1615 and January 1616. The Basques were considered criminals for their wrongdoings after their ships were wrecked and in accordance with the Icelandic law book of 1281 it was decided that the only right thing to do was to kill as many of them as possible.
.
Massacre
A massacre is an event with a heavy death toll.Massacre may also refer to:-Entertainment:*Massacre , a DC Comics villain*Massacre , a 1932 drama film starring Richard Barthelmess*Massacre, a 1956 Western starring Dane Clark...
. Some Spanish Basque whalers went on a whaling expedition to Iceland and were killed after conflict with the people of Iceland in 1615 in the region of the Westfjords
Westfjords
The Westfjords or West Fjords is the name for the large peninsula in northwestern Iceland. It is connected to the rest of Iceland by a 7 km wide isthmus between Gilsfjörður and Bitrufjörður. The Westfjords are very mountainous; the coastline is heavily indented by dozens of fjords surrounded by...
.
Background and history
In the first half of the sixteenth century BasqueBasque people
The Basques as an ethnic group, primarily inhabit an area traditionally known as the Basque Country , a region that is located around the western end of the Pyrenees on the coast of the Bay of Biscay and straddles parts of north-central Spain and south-western France.The Basques are known in the...
whalers set up the world's first large-scale whaling industry in Terranova
Labrador
Labrador is the distinct, northerly region of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It comprises the mainland portion of the province, separated from the island of Newfoundland by the Strait of Belle Isle...
. The center of this industry was some ten ports on the southern coast of Labrador
Labrador
Labrador is the distinct, northerly region of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It comprises the mainland portion of the province, separated from the island of Newfoundland by the Strait of Belle Isle...
. During the peak years of the 1560s and 1570s the fleet comprised around 30 ships manned by up to 2,000 men, who killed in the region 400 whales each year. By the beginning of the seventeenth century Basque whaling had reached Iceland.
About the slayings of the Spaniards
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
with ice up to shores until late summer and considerable loss of livestock. In mid-summer three Basque whaling vessels got into Reykjarfjörður in Vestfirðir. Icelanders and the Basques had a mutual agreement at the beginning as they both had benefited from the enterprise. When the ships were ready for departure in late September a terrible gale arose and the ships were driven on the rocks and crushed. Most of the crew members survived (approx. 80). The captains Pedro de Aguirre and Esteban de Telleria wintered at Vatneyri (Patreksfjörður
Patreksfjörður
Patreksfjörður is an Icelandic village in the Westfjords with 627 inhabitants .The town was named after Saint Patrick who was the spiritual guide of Örlygur Hrappson, the original settler in the area...
) and left for home the following year. The crew of Martin de Villafranca split into two groups; one entered Ísafjarðardjúp
Ísafjarðardjúp
Ísafjarðardjúp is a large fjord in the Westfjords region of Iceland. Its name translates as Ice fjord deep.Ísafjörður, capital of the Westfjords region, is situated close to the mouth of Ísafjarðardjúp....
, the other went to Bolungarvík
Bolungarvík
Bolungarvík is a fishing village and municipality in the North-West of Iceland, located at the Vestfirðir peninsula, approximately 14 kilometres from the town of Ísafjörður and 473 km from the capital city Reykjavík....
and later to Þingeyri
Þingeyri
Thingeyri is a settlement in the municipality of Ísafjarðarbær, Iceland.It is located on the coats of the fjord Dýrafjörður in the mountainous peninsula Westfjords...
.
On 13 October Martin and the other 17 of his group were killed at Æðey and Sandeyri in Ísafjarðardjúp
Ísafjarðardjúp
Ísafjarðardjúp is a large fjord in the Westfjords region of Iceland. Its name translates as Ice fjord deep.Ísafjörður, capital of the Westfjords region, is situated close to the mouth of Ísafjarðardjúp....
, but on October 5 the rest of the crew were attacked on Fjallaskagi where 13 crew members were killed but one managed to flee. Captain Martín de Villafranca of San Sebastián
San Sebastián
Donostia-San Sebastián is a city and municipality located in the north of Spain, in the coast of the Bay of Biscay and 20 km away from the French border. The city is the capital of Gipuzkoa, in the autonomous community of the Basque Country. The municipality’s population is 186,122 , and its...
, whose father and grandfather had both been involved in Terra Nova
Terra Nova
Terra Nova means "new land" or "new earth" in Latin, Galician and Portuguese. Common uses include:* Newfoundland , the island portion of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada was originally called Terra Nova...
whaling was among those who were killed.
Two verdicts were instigated by sheriff Ari Magnússon of Ögur, Ísafjarðardjúp in October 1615 and January 1616. The Basques were considered criminals for their wrongdoings after their ships were wrecked and in accordance with the Icelandic law book of 1281 it was decided that the only right thing to do was to kill as many of them as possible.
Jón the Learned, his account
Jón the Learned wrote a critical account condemning the decision of the local sheriff to order the killings. Jón the Learned wrote about these events: Sönn frásaga af spanskra manna skipbrotum og slagi (A True Account of Spanish Men's Shipwrecks and Fighting). Jón says that they were unjustly killed; not wishing to take part in an attack on them, he fled south to SnæfellsnesSnæfellsnes
The Snæfellsnes is a peninsula situated to the west of Borgarfjörður, in western of Iceland.It has been named Iceland in Miniature, as many national sights can be found in the area, including the Snæfellsjökull volcano, regarded as one of the symbols of Iceland. With its height of 1446 m, it...
.
See also
- Timeline of Icelandic historyTimeline of Icelandic historyThis is a timeline of Icelandic history. To read about the background to these events, see History of Iceland.This timeline is incomplete; some important events may be missing...
- History of IcelandHistory of Iceland-Early history:In geological terms, Iceland is a young island. It started to form about 20 million years ago from a series of volcanic eruptions on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge...
- List of massacres in Iceland