Matthías Jochumsson

Matthías Jochumsson was an Icelandic Lutheran clergyman, poet, playwright, translator and a social reformer. He was a giant in Icelandic cultural life in the decades around 1900. He is best known for his lyrical poetry and for writing the national anthem of Iceland, "Lofsöngur", in 1874. Matthías was along with writer Torfhildur Hólm the first of Icelandic writers to receice artist salary from the Parlament in 1891.