The ancient Icelandic parliament established in 930 CE, considered one of the world's oldest functioning legislative assemblies. It met annually at Þingvellir where free men gathered to make laws, settle disputes, and conduct judicial proceedings in a democratic assembly.
From Old Norse alþingi, combining all (all) and þing (assembly, parliament). The word þing is related to English 'thing' and originally meant 'appointed time' or 'assembly,' reflecting the Germanic tradition of democratic gatherings for legal and political matters.
The Althing operated as a functioning democracy for over 300 years before most of Europe had any concept of representative government—and it did so without a king, army, or executive authority! This Viking Age experiment in self-governance influenced the development of parliamentary systems and proved that medieval societies could govern themselves through law and consensus rather than royal decree.
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