North Eastern Atlantic

South of Iceland the North Atlantic surrounds the Westman Islands and the island's exposed southern coast. In 1627 corsairs from Algiers and Salé crossed these waters to raid Icelandic settlements. They attacked the Westman Islands as well as places on the mainland, killing inhabitants and carrying hundreds away to slavery. Among the captives was the priest Ólafur Egilsson, whose account of the raid and his journey to Algiers survived after his return to Iceland.