# Lists of heads of state of Iceland

This is a list of heads of state of Iceland, including Kings of Norway from 1262 to 1814, Kings of Denmark from 1814 to 1918, the King of Iceland from 1918 to 1944 and Presidents of Iceland from 1944.

## Overview

Iceland was settled in the late 9th and early 10th centuries, principally by people of Norwegian and other Scandinavian origin. In 930, the ruling chiefs established a republican constitution and an assembly called the Althing—the oldest parliament in the world. Iceland remained independent until 1262, when it entered into a treaty which established a union with the Norwegian monarchy. In the late 14th century Norway and Denmark entered into a union. The union between Denmark and Norway, ignoring some shorter periods, lasted until 1814, when Norway briefly gained independence, and Iceland became an integral part of Denmark until 1918, when Iceland was recognised as a fully sovereign state in personal union with Denmark under a common monarch, on 1 December that same year.
Following a constitutional referendum between 20 and 23 May 1944, Iceland formally became an independent republic on 17 June 1944. Since Denmark was still occupied by Germany, many Danes felt offended that the step should have been taken at the time. Still, the last King of Iceland, Kristján X, sent a message of congratulations to the Icelandic people.

## Kings of Norway (1262–1814)

| Name | Lifespan | Reign start | Reign end | Notes | Family |
| Haakon IVthe Old | (1204-04-01)1 April 1204 – 16 December 1263(1263-12-16) (aged 59) | 1262 | 16 December 1263 | Son of Haakon III | Fairhair |
| Magnus VIthe Law-mender | (1238-05-01)1 May 1238 – 9 May 1280(1280-05-09) (aged 42) | 16 December 1263 | 9 May 1280 | Son of Haakon IV | Fairhair |
| Eric II | 1268 – (1299-07-15)15 July 1299 | 9 May 1280 | 15 July 1299 | Son of Magnus VI | Fairhair |
| Haakon V | 1270 – (1319-05-08)8 May 1319 | 15 July 1299 | 8 May 1319 | Son of Magnus VI | Fairhair |
| Magnus VII | 1316 – (1374-12-01)1 December 1374 | 1319 | 1 December 1374 | Grandson of Haakon V | Bjälbo |
| Haakon VI | 1340 – (1380-09-11)11 September 1380 | 15 August 1343 | 11 September 1380 | Son of Magnus VII | Bjälbo |
| Olaf IV | 1370 – (1387-08-03)3 August 1387 | 29 July 1380 | 3 August 1387 | Son of Haakon VI | Bjälbo |
| Margaret I | c. 1353 – (1412-10-28)28 October 1412 | 2 February 1388 | 28 October 1412 | Mother of Olaf IV | Estridsen |
| Eric III | c. 1381 – (1459-05-03)3 May 1459 | 28 October 1412 | 1442 | Son of Wartislaw VII, Duke of Pomerania | Griffins |
| Christopher I | (1416-02-26)26 February 1416 – 5 January 1448(1448-01-05) (aged 31) | 1442 | 5 January 1448 | Son of John, Count Palatine of Neumarkt | Palatinate-Neumarkt |
| Charles I | (1409-10-05)5 October 1409 – 14 May 1470(1470-05-14) (aged 60) | 20 November 1449 | 1450 | Son of Knut Tordsson Bonde | Bonde |
| Christian I | 1426 – (1481-05-21)21 May 1481 | 1450 | 21 May 1481 | Son of Dietrich, Count of Oldenburg | Oldenburg |
| John I | (1455-02-02)2 February 1455 – 20 February 1513(1513-02-20) (aged 58) | 1483 | 20 February 1513 | Son of Christian I | Oldenburg |
| Christian II | (1481-07-01)1 July 1481 – 25 January 1559(1559-01-25) (aged 77) | 22 July 1513 | 20 January 1523 | Son of John I | Oldenburg |
| Frederick I | (1471-10-07)7 October 1471 – 10 April 1533(1533-04-10) (aged 61) | 1523 | 10 April 1533 | Son of Christian I | Oldenburg |
| Christian III | (1503-08-12)12 August 1503 – 1 January 1559(1559-01-01) (aged 55) | 1537 | 1 January 1559 | Son of Frederick I | Oldenburg |
| Frederick II | (1534-07-01)1 July 1534 – 4 April 1588(1588-04-04) (aged 53) | 1 January 1559 | 4 April 1588 | Son of Christian III | Oldenburg |
| Christian IV | (1577-04-12)12 April 1577 – 28 February 1648(1648-02-28) (aged 70) | 4 April 1588 | 28 February 1648 | Son of Frederick II | Oldenburg |
| Frederick III | (1609-03-18)18 March 1609 – 9 February 1670(1670-02-09) (aged 60) | 6 July 1648 | 9 February 1670 | Son of Christian IV | Oldenburg |
| Christian V | (1646-04-15)15 April 1646 – 25 August 1699(1699-08-25) (aged 53) | 9 February 1670 | 25 August 1699 | Son of Frederick III | Oldenburg |
| Frederick IV | (1671-10-11)11 October 1671 – 12 October 1730(1730-10-12) (aged 59) | 25 August 1699 | 12 October 1730 | Son of Christian V | Oldenburg |
| Christian VI | (1699-11-30)30 November 1699 – 6 August 1746(1746-08-06) (aged 46) | 12 October 1730 | 6 August 1746 | Son of Frederick IV | Oldenburg |
| Frederick V | (1723-03-31)31 March 1723 – 14 January 1766(1766-01-14) (aged 42) | 6 August 1746 | 14 January 1766 | Son of Christian VI | Oldenburg |
| Christian VII | (1749-01-29)29 January 1749 – 13 March 1808(1808-03-13) (aged 59) | 14 January 1766 | 13 March 1808 | Son of Frederick V | Oldenburg |
| Frederick VI | (1768-01-28)28 January 1768 – 3 December 1839(1839-12-03) (aged 71) | 13 March 1808 | 7 February 1814 | Son of Christian VII | Oldenburg |

## Kings of Denmark (1814–1918)

| Name | Lifespan | Reign start | Reign end | Notes | Family |
| Frederick VI | (1768-01-28)28 January 1768 – 3 December 1839(1839-12-03) (aged 71) | 7 February 1814 | 3 December 1839 | Son of Christian VII | Oldenburg |
| Christian VIII | (1786-09-18)18 September 1786 – 20 January 1848(1848-01-20) (aged 61) | 3 December 1839 | 20 January 1848 | Son of Frederick, Hereditary Prince of Denmark and grandson of Frederick V | Oldenburg |
| Frederick VII | (1808-10-06)6 October 1808 – 15 November 1863(1863-11-15) (aged 55) | 20 January 1848 | 15 November 1863 | Son of Christian VIII | Oldenburg |
| Christian IX | (1818-04-08)8 April 1818 – 29 January 1906(1906-01-29) (aged 87) | 15 November 1863 | 29 January 1906 | Son of Friedrich Wilhelm, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg and great-grandson of Frederick V | Glücksburg |
| Frederik VIII | (1843-06-03)3 June 1843 – 14 May 1912(1912-05-14) (aged 68) | 29 January 1906 | 14 May 1912 | Son of Christian IX | Glücksburg |
| Christian X | (1870-09-26)26 September 1870 – 20 April 1947(1947-04-20) (aged 76) | 14 May 1912 | 1 December 1918 | Son of Frederik VIII | Glücksburg |

## Kings of Iceland (1918–1944)

| Name | Lifespan | Reign start | Reign end | Notes | Family | Image |
| Kristján X | (1870-09-26)26 September 1870 – 20 April 1947(1947-04-20) (aged 76) | 1 December 1918 | 17 June 1944 | Son of Frederik VIII | Glücksburg | |

## Presidents of Iceland (1944–present)

There have been seven presidents since the establishment of the republic.
Term: $^1$ appointed · $^2$ died in office · $^3$ uncontested
| Nº | President | Took office | Left office | Duration | Term | Prime ministers |
| 1 | Sveinn Björnsson (1881–1952) | 17 June 1944 | 25 January 1952$^2$ | 7 years, 7 months, 8 days (2,778 days) | 1 (1944)$^1$ | Björn Þórðarson Ólafur Thors Stefán Jóhann Stefánsson Ólafur Thors Steingrímur Steinþórsson |
| 1 | Sveinn Björnsson (1881–1952) | 17 June 1944 | 25 January 1952$^2$ | 7 years, 7 months, 8 days (2,778 days) | 2 (1945)$^3$ | Björn Þórðarson Ólafur Thors Stefán Jóhann Stefánsson Ólafur Thors Steingrímur Steinþórsson |
| 1 | Sveinn Björnsson (1881–1952) | 17 June 1944 | 25 January 1952$^2$ | 7 years, 7 months, 8 days (2,778 days) | 3 (1949)$^3$ | Björn Þórðarson Ólafur Thors Stefán Jóhann Stefánsson Ólafur Thors Steingrímur Steinþórsson |
| Regent of Iceland 1941–1944, later became the first president of Iceland. In 1950 considered forming a government that did not rely on parliamentary support after leaders of the parliamentary parties had reached an impasse. The only president to die in office; this led to a vacancy, the powers of the office being constitutionally vested jointly in the prime minister (Steingrímur Steinþórsson), the president of the Parliament (Jón Pálmason) and the president of the Supreme Court (Jón Ásbjörnsson). |||||
| 2 | Ásgeir Ásgeirsson (1894–1972) | 1 August 1952 | 31 July 1968 | 16 years (5,844 days) | 4 (1952) | Steingrímur Steinþórsson Ólafur Thors Hermann Jónasson Emil Jónsson Ólafur Thors Bjarni Benediktsson Ólafur Thors Bjarni Benediktsson |
| 2 | Ásgeir Ásgeirsson (1894–1972) | 1 August 1952 | 31 July 1968 | 16 years (5,844 days) | 5 (1956)$^3$ | Steingrímur Steinþórsson Ólafur Thors Hermann Jónasson Emil Jónsson Ólafur Thors Bjarni Benediktsson Ólafur Thors Bjarni Benediktsson |
| 2 | Ásgeir Ásgeirsson (1894–1972) | 1 August 1952 | 31 July 1968 | 16 years (5,844 days) | 6 (1960)$^3$ | Steingrímur Steinþórsson Ólafur Thors Hermann Jónasson Emil Jónsson Ólafur Thors Bjarni Benediktsson Ólafur Thors Bjarni Benediktsson |
| 2 | Ásgeir Ásgeirsson (1894–1972) | 1 August 1952 | 31 July 1968 | 16 years (5,844 days) | 7 (1964)$^3$ | Steingrímur Steinþórsson Ólafur Thors Hermann Jónasson Emil Jónsson Ólafur Thors Bjarni Benediktsson Ólafur Thors Bjarni Benediktsson |
| First president elected by popular vote. |||||
| 3 | Kristján Eldjárn (1916–1982) | 1 August 1968 | 31 July 1980 | 12 years (4,383 days) | 8 (1968) | Bjarni Benediktsson Jóhann Hafstein Ólafur Jóhannesson Geir Hallgrímsson Ólafur Jóhannesson Benedikt Sigurðsson Gröndal Gunnar Thoroddsen |
| 3 | Kristján Eldjárn (1916–1982) | 1 August 1968 | 31 July 1980 | 12 years (4,383 days) | 9 (1972)$^3$ | Bjarni Benediktsson Jóhann Hafstein Ólafur Jóhannesson Geir Hallgrímsson Ólafur Jóhannesson Benedikt Sigurðsson Gröndal Gunnar Thoroddsen |
| 3 | Kristján Eldjárn (1916–1982) | 1 August 1968 | 31 July 1980 | 12 years (4,383 days) | 10 (1976)$^3$ | Bjarni Benediktsson Jóhann Hafstein Ólafur Jóhannesson Geir Hallgrímsson Ólafur Jóhannesson Benedikt Sigurðsson Gröndal Gunnar Thoroddsen |
| At one point considered forming a government that did not rely on parliamentary support after leaders of the parliamentary parties had reached an impasse. |||||
| 4 | Vigdís Finnbogadóttir (born 1930) | 1 August 1980 | 31 July 1996 | 16 years (5,844 days) | 11 (1980) | Gunnar Thoroddsen Steingrímur Hermannsson Þorsteinn Pálsson Steingrímur Hermannsson Davíð Oddsson |
| 4 | Vigdís Finnbogadóttir (born 1930) | 1 August 1980 | 31 July 1996 | 16 years (5,844 days) | 12 (1984)$^3$ | Gunnar Thoroddsen Steingrímur Hermannsson Þorsteinn Pálsson Steingrímur Hermannsson Davíð Oddsson |
| 4 | Vigdís Finnbogadóttir (born 1930) | 1 August 1980 | 31 July 1996 | 16 years (5,844 days) | 13 (1988) | Gunnar Thoroddsen Steingrímur Hermannsson Þorsteinn Pálsson Steingrímur Hermannsson Davíð Oddsson |
| 4 | Vigdís Finnbogadóttir (born 1930) | 1 August 1980 | 31 July 1996 | 16 years (5,844 days) | 14 (1992)$^3$ | Gunnar Thoroddsen Steingrímur Hermannsson Þorsteinn Pálsson Steingrímur Hermannsson Davíð Oddsson |
| Was the world's first elected female president. Won first term in office with the lowest historical share of the votes for a first-term election (33.79%) but overwhelmingly won her third-term election in 1988. |||||
| 5 | Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson (born 1943) | 1 August 1996 | 31 July 2016 | 20 years (7,305 days) | 15 (1996) | Davíð Oddsson Halldór Ásgrímsson Geir Haarde Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson |
| 5 | Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson (born 1943) | 1 August 1996 | 31 July 2016 | 20 years (7,305 days) | 16 (2000)$^3$ | Davíð Oddsson Halldór Ásgrímsson Geir Haarde Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson |
| 5 | Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson (born 1943) | 1 August 1996 | 31 July 2016 | 20 years (7,305 days) | 17 (2004) | Davíð Oddsson Halldór Ásgrímsson Geir Haarde Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson |
| 5 | Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson (born 1943) | 1 August 1996 | 31 July 2016 | 20 years (7,305 days) | 18 (2008)$^3$ | Davíð Oddsson Halldór Ásgrímsson Geir Haarde Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson |
| 5 | Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson (born 1943) | 1 August 1996 | 31 July 2016 | 20 years (7,305 days) | 19 (2012) | Davíð Oddsson Halldór Ásgrímsson Geir Haarde Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson |
| First to use the constitutional veto power under Article 26 to deny signing a law from the Parliament. Used it again on two occasions. |||||
| 6 | Guðni Thorlacius Jóhannesson (born 1968) | 1 August 2016 | 31 July 2024 | 8 years (2,921 days) | 20 (2016) | Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson Bjarni Benediktsson Katrín Jakobsdóttir Bjarni Benediktsson |
| 6 | Guðni Thorlacius Jóhannesson (born 1968) | 1 August 2016 | 31 July 2024 | 8 years (2,921 days) | 21 (2020) | Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson Bjarni Benediktsson Katrín Jakobsdóttir Bjarni Benediktsson |
| Overwhelmingly won his second-term election in 2020. |||||
| 7 | Halla Tómasdóttir (born 1968) | 1 August 2024 | Incumbent | 79 days | 22 (2024) | Bjarni Benediktsson |
| Won with the second lowest historical share of the votes for a first-term election (34.15%). This was her second attempt at a presidential run, the first one having been in 2016 where she came in second. |||||