The Icelandic raid was certainly atypical, but, surprisingly, not unique in the grand scheme of corsairs in the seventeenth century. For only a few years later, corsairs would raid Ireland and over 10 years prior had raided Newfoundland in the Americas. This answer will cover what lead corsairs to take up Atlantic raiding, what contemporary peoples said was the impetus for the raid, and what other reasons there may be.

Shifting Seas

These Atlantic raids were actually becoming more common with the advent of the seventeenth century. The Barbary corsairs had recently adopted Dutch-style, square-rigged sailing ships that fared well on the rough seas of the open ocean.^1 This was in contrast to their typical galley, a much smaller, oared vessel, which faltered on the high seas, but excelled in the Mediterranean.

This shift to the Atlantic was also aided by a massive influx of English and Dutch privateers-turned-pirates during the Twelve Years’ Truce of the Eighty Years' War. These sailors soon found eager employers in North Africa as corsairs. In fact, it is estimated that during this period around half of the corsair captains in North Africa were Europeans.^2 Many of these Europeans converted to Islam and lived in a sort of unstable realm between Europe and Africa.

Besides being excellent sailors, like their African and Turkish counterparts, the Europeans brought with them intimate knowledge of Atlantic sailing. This included greater knowledge of which areas in Europe would be prime for raiding, what the best ways to navigate these waters would be, and what would be the best way to execute these raids.

Some, like Murad Reis, a Dutch convert to Islam, who was the very corsair who led the raid on Iceland, also established treaties with European nations to access their ports. This greatly expanded the reach of these North African-based corsairs as they could easily resupply in the heart of Europe. The small island of Lundy, now in the United Kingdom, was also controlled by North African corsairs during this period and was used similarly.^3

Documented Reasons for the Icelandic Raid

As for the Icelandic raid, it is often attributed that a Dane was the one who suggested it. Being familiar with how the island would be defended, as Iceland was still a possession of Denmark at this time, and what settlements would be worthy targets, this intimate knowledge may have been what inspired Murad Reis. However, there are several accounts of how this raid came to be, which I will relay below.

First, Kláus Eyjólfsson, who was a member of the Icelandic parliament during this period reported that those who escaped claimed that the reason for the raid was a bet between two Turkish lords as to whether or not it was possible to raid the far-away Iceland.

Some of those who escaped captivity maintain that two Lords of the Turkish empire made a bet with each other, one wagering against the other that it would not be possible to get even the smallest stone out of Iceland, much less a man. Because of this wager, the expedition was prepared and equipped, and twelve ships were sent to Iceland to capture as many people as possible and bring them back unharmed, for it is said that even one infant could fetch as much as three hundred dalers in Algeria.^4

However, this account is hard to prove as we can safely assume that none of those who escaped the raid were privy to the discussions of the corsairs before the raid. Additionally, corsairs had raided Newfoundland over a decade previously^5, which was much further than Iceland. So, while still impressive, such a raid would not be considered impossible.

Second, in The Turkish Raid Saga, a collection of first-hand accounts from 1643 by Bjorn Jonasson, tells the standard story of a Danish slave. This is generally the most accepted narrative as we know of many prior instances of this occurring, where someone is freed in exchange for information that helps the corsairs.

With these pirate captains in their discussions was Danish captive who had been a slave for a long time, although he was of the Christian faith...This man saw a chance for himself to be set free from captivity and slavery by showing the pirates how to get there [to Iceland].^6

This account, with the additional information of the Danish slave being named Paul, also appears in French accounts of the raid. Pierre Dan’s Histoire de Barbarie, compiled in 1637, follows this same story.

Third, Emanuel d’Aranda, who was an enslaved Flemish soldier until he was freed in 1642 recounts a similar story. However, this time it is an Icelander, who has converted to Islam, and is looking to increase his own fortune by leading the corsairs to Iceland.

It had happened some years since, said he, that an Iceland renegado, having been a long time abroad with the pirates of this city, without taking any prize, proposing to his captain, vexed that nothing fell in his way, to make towards Iceland, and, landing there, to take Icelanders, who suspecting not that there were such barbarous people in the world. The proposal was liked by the captain and the management of the enterprise was committed to that perfidious Icelander...The Turks sent fifty soldiers ashore, who brought away about eight hundred men, women, and children, and afterwards sold them in this city for slaves.^7

This account also includes a much higher number of slaves taken from Iceland. The most accepted figure is 400 slaves, which this account states that it was 800 slaves. This account also highlights the collaboration of North African corsairs and European knowledge. The line “suspecting not that there were such barbarous people in the world,” may allude to the isolated state of Iceland and its lack of defenses, which may have contributed to it being a target.

Unfortunately, beyond these accounts, there is little in the way of official documentation of the raid and the reasons why Murad Reis embarked on the far-flung voyage. We can certainly try to find reasons for why Iceland was a good target though.

Other Possible Reasons

First, there was little in the way of defenses. While the Danish navy occasionally patrolled the sea, they were currently occupied with the Thirty Years’ War and no patrol had been done for months. Beyond a navy, the settlements themselves were only lightly defended. During one landing, the settlement only had a single cannon to fend off the corsairs. In several instances, the corsairs were able to land their ships without resistance as the Icelanders desperately tried to hide or make a stand with whatever they had at their disposal.

Second, many Icelanders were experienced sailors, which fetched a high price in the North African markets. Such slaves could then be placed under corsairs to go on to raid other targets. Speaking of riches, it appears that Danish trading vessels were also docked in many of these targeted settlements during the summer, which meant that lucrative goods could be looted from them. It is unclear if the corsairs knew the trading patterns of the Danish merchants. However, with much of the crew being made up of Europeans, including Danes and possibly Icelanders, it is possible they knew of the Danish trading patterns.

Third, the frequent raids on Mediterranean and other North African-adjacent coasts lead to a shift in many people moving inland. This made it much harder for corsairs to raid near their North African bases, as some European peoples tried to avoid vulnerable coastlines.^8 This may have led some corsairs to focus on Atlantic raiding, where the people were less wary of them.

Conclusion

While these are all reasons for why the corsairs may have raided Iceland, we truly do not know the exact reason. As far as I can tell, Murad Reis, nor anyone else involved in the raid on his end, wrote down why they raided Iceland. The quotes seen above all bear some chance of being correct. For example, we certainly know that captured peoples often bargained information for their freedom. But without a closer perspective on the beginnings of the raid, we must work with these imperfect sources.

^1 Jamieson's Lords of the Sea: A History of the Barbary Corsairs, page 17. ^2 Egilsson's The Travels of Reverend Olafur Egilsson, page xx. ^3 Helgason's The Corsairs’ Longest Voyage: The Turkish Raid in Iceland 1627, page 46. ^4 Egilsson's The Travels of Reverend Olafur Egilsson, page xxi ^5 Jamieson's Lords of the Sea: A History of the Barbary Corsairs, page 90. ^6 Egilsson's The Travels of Reverend Olafur Egilsson, page xxii. ^7 Egilsson's The Travels of Reverend Olafur Egilsson, page xxii. ^8 Gaspar de Freitas' Landscapes of Fear: the Portuguese coast, page 11.