# Minister for Iceland

Minister for Iceland (Danish: Minister for Island, pronounced; Icelandic: Ráðherra Íslands) was a post in the Danish cabinet for Icelandic affairs.

## History

The post was established on 5 January 1874 as, according to the Constitution of Iceland, the executive power rested in the king of Denmark through the Danish cabinet. The Constitutional Act of Iceland of 3 October 1903 stated that the minister for Iceland had to be a resident of Reykjavík and be able to read and write Icelandic. The minister was responsible to the Icelandic parliament. The post of Minister for Iceland was part of the post of Justice Minister of Denmark until 1904 when Iceland obtained extended home rule.
After an agreement with the Social Liberal government in Copenhagen in January 1917, Jón Magnússon formed the first coalition government consisting of three ministers and with a majority in the Althing behind it. Parliamentarism was thus implemented in Iceland. Jón Magnússon got the title forsætisráðherra Íslands (Prime Minister of Iceland, but literally chairman or president of the ministers), while all three ministers were also formally members of the Danish cabinet each with the title Minister of Iceland.
In 1918, the Danish–Icelandic Act of Union recognised Iceland as an independent and sovereign state in a personal union with Denmark. The Kingdom of Iceland was established and the post of Minister for Iceland was closed down on 30 November 1918.

## List of ministers
### Constitution (1874–1904)

| No. | Minister for Iceland | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Party | Cabinet |
| 1 | Klein, Christian SophusChristian Sophus Klein (1824–1900) | 14 July 1874 | 11 June 1875 | 332 days | National Liberal | Holstein-Holsteinborg Fonnesbech |
| 2 | Nellemann, JohannesJohannes Nellemann (1831–1906) | 11 June 1875 | 13 June 1896 | 21 years, 2 days | Højre | Estrup Reedtz-Thott |
| 3 | Rump, Nicolai ReimerNicolai Reimer Rump (1834–1900) | 13 June 1896 | 28 August 1899 | 3 years, 76 days | Højre | Reedtz-Thott Hørring |
| 4 | Hørring, Hugo EgmontHugo Egmont Hørring (1842–1909) | 28 August 1899 | 27 April 1900 | 242 days | Højre | Hørring |
| 5 | Goos, August Hermann Ferdinand CarlAugust Hermann Ferdinand Carl Goos (1835–1917) | 27 April 1900 | 24 July 1901 | 1 year, 88 days | Højre | Sehested |
| 6 | Alberti, Peter AdlerPeter Adler Alberti (1851–1932) | 24 July 1901 | 1 February 1904 | 2 years, 192 days | Venstre Reform | Deuntzer |

### Home rule (1904–1918)

| Nº | Minister | Took office | Left office | Duration | Party | Cabinet |
| 7 | Hannes Hafstein (1861–1922) | 1 February 1904 | 31 March 1909 | 5 years, 1 month, 30 days (1,885 days) | Home Rule Party | Deuntzer |
| 7 | Hannes Hafstein (1861–1922) | 1 February 1904 | 31 March 1909 | 5 years, 1 month, 30 days (1,885 days) | Home Rule Party | J.C. Christensen I |
| 7 | Hannes Hafstein (1861–1922) | 1 February 1904 | 31 March 1909 | 5 years, 1 month, 30 days (1,885 days) | Home Rule Party | J.C. Christensen II |
| 7 | Hannes Hafstein (1861–1922) | 1 February 1904 | 31 March 1909 | 5 years, 1 month, 30 days (1,885 days) | Home Rule Party | Neergaard I |
| 8 | Björn Jónsson (1846–1912) | 31 March 1909 | 14 March 1911 | 1 year, 11 months, 14 days (713 days) | Independence Party | Neergaard I |
| 8 | Björn Jónsson (1846–1912) | 31 March 1909 | 14 March 1911 | 1 year, 11 months, 14 days (713 days) | Independence Party | Holstein-Ledreborg |
| 8 | Björn Jónsson (1846–1912) | 31 March 1909 | 14 March 1911 | 1 year, 11 months, 14 days (713 days) | Independence Party | Zahle I |
| 8 | Björn Jónsson (1846–1912) | 31 March 1909 | 14 March 1911 | 1 year, 11 months, 14 days (713 days) | Independence Party | Klaus Berntsen |
| 9 | Kristján Jónsson (1852–1926) | 14 March 1911 | 25 July 1912 | 1 year, 4 months, 11 days (499 days) | independent | Klaus Berntsen |
| (7) | Hannes Hafstein (1861–1922) | 25 July 1912 | 21 July 1914 | 1 year, 11 months, 26 days (726 days) | Union Party | Klaus Berntsen |
| (7) | Hannes Hafstein (1861–1922) | 25 July 1912 | 21 July 1914 | 1 year, 11 months, 26 days (726 days) | Union Party | Zahle II |
| 10 | Sigurður Eggerz (1875–1945) | 21 July 1914 | 4 May 1915 | 9 months, 13 days (287 days) | Independence Party | Zahle II |
| 11 | Einar Arnórsson (1880–1955) | 4 May 1915 | 4 January 1917 | 1 year, 8 months (611 days) | Independence Party langsum | Zahle II |
| 12 | Jón Magnússon (1859–1926) Sigurður Jónsson Björn Kristjansson (to 28 August 1917) Sigurður Eggerz (from 28 August 1917) | 4 January 1917 | 30 November 1918 | 1 year, 10 months, 26 days (695 days) | Home Rule Party Progressive Party Independence Party | Zahle II |