Eirik Red - a famous Scandinavian navigator. He is considered the man who founded the first settlement in Greenland, as well as the discoverer. He received his nickname "red" for the distinctive color of his beard and hair. His son Leif was the first to set foot on the shore of America, and he is considered the main pre-Columbian discoverer.
Scandinavian biography
It is authentically known that Eirik the Red was born in Norway. At that time, a king named Harald the Fair-haired ruled , and Torvald Asvaldson was his father. Torvald did not restrain emotions well, so one day he decided to kill. For this crime, he and his family were expelled from the country. The Aswaldsons had to settle in Iceland.
But in a new place, violent temper prevented getting along with others. In addition, his son Eirik Red took over excessive emotionality. Around 980, he himself was sentenced to three years of exile for two murders. First, he took the life of a neighbor who did not give up the boat, which he borrowed, and then avenged his slaves, whom another Viking killed.
Obeying the verdict, Eirik decided to sail west to get to the land, which was noticeable in clear weather from the mountain peaks in the west of Iceland. As it turned out, she was about three hundred kilometers from the coast. Sagas were preserved in Norwegian folklore, according to which another famous Norwegian Viking, whose name was Gunbjorn, sailed there about a century ago.
Erik's Travel
Erik Ryzhik set sail in 982. He took the whole family with him, as well as livestock and servants. At first, floating ice prevented him from landing ashore for a long time. Therefore, he had to go around the island from the south and go ashore in the area of the modern greenland town of Kakortok. It was Greenland.
On the island, the hero of our article spent three years without meeting a single person during this time. Although he repeatedly made attempts to find someone. He explored almost the entire coast, even reached by boat on the island of Disco, which is located in the northwest of the southern tip of Greenland.
In 986, his expulsion from Iceland expired. He returned and began to convince the locals to move to new lands. Now you know which island Eirik the Red discovered. Moreover, he gave it a name. In the literal translation from Norwegian Greenland means "Green Earth".
The debate about how appropriate the name is, has not subsided so far. Some scientists put forward hypotheses based on the fact that in the Middle Ages the climate in these places was milder. Therefore, coastal areas located in the southwest of the island could indeed be covered with dense green grassy vegetation. Others are convinced that this name was a kind of publicity stunt Scandinavian navigator. Thus, he simply tried to attract as many immigrants as possible.
If you believe the sagas that can be found in Norwegian folklore, 30 ships set sail from Iceland for the hero of our article. The fate of most of them was not as successful as Eric Torvaldson himself. Only 14 ships with 350 immigrants were reached the coast. Together with him, Eirik founded the first settlement in Greenland. It was called the Eastern settlement.
Archaeological finds, subjected to radiocarbon analysis, suggest that the residence of Eirik the Red was located near the modern city of Narssarssuac. Discovered items date back to around 1000.
Discoverer family
When Eirik himself had already retired, his sons continued his work. He infected them with a passion for research. As a result, it was Leif Ericsson (Eirik's son) who discovered Vinland around the year 1000. This is the territory in which North America is located today. Long-distance expeditions to another continent were made by the other sons of the hero of our article - Thorstein and Torvald.
In addition, it is known that Leif Ericsson delivered directly from Norway a priest who baptized Greenland. But in the biography of Eirik the Red did not find references to the fact that he converted to Christianity. Most likely, he remained a pagan, unlike his wife and sons. It was reported that he was as skeptical of the new religion of his fellow tribesmen.
Greenland
Today, Greenland is the largest island on Earth. The rights to it belong to Denmark, it is its autonomous unit.
From the history of this island it is known that before the Vikings discovered Greenland, Arctic peoples inhabited Greenland. But long before the arrival of the Norwegians, the island was completely empty. The ancestors of modern Inuit began to settle here only in the XIII century.
The Danes began its colonization in the 18th century. Only during the Second World War, Greenland managed to separate from the Danish kingdom, drawing closer to Canada and the United States. But after the victory over fascism, the Danes regained control of Greenland again. The largest island on Earth was proclaimed an integral part of the kingdom.
In 1979, Greenland received wide autonomy. Now she even has her own football team, which performs at tournaments under the auspices of FIFA and UEFA.
Vikings hiking
In the era of the great geographical discoveries, Eirik the Red one was one of the first who was drawn to distant unexplored places.
In the Viking era, which spanned the 9th-11th centuries, the Scandinavians actively traveled in different directions. Sailed up to Ireland, and to Russia. Usually along the way they were engaged in hunting, trade, and robbery. It is known that Iceland was opened in about 860, having founded a number of colonies there. Moreover, the Vikings often sailed precisely to the West. Therefore, in modern science it is believed that they were the first of the Europeans to reach the shores of America. It was then that the first still genetic contact occurred with the indigenous inhabitants of North America.
First trip to America
It is believed that the first shores of Novaya Zemlya reached the Norwegian Viking Gunnbjorn around the year 900. During the voyage, he lost his course, saved the travelers only what they noticed on the horizon of Greenland. This discovery inspired his other tribesmen to new expeditions and discoveries.
So Erik the Red used the link to open new lands and expand horizons. The climate of Greenland, to which he sailed, was very severe, but he still convinced some of his fellow tribesmen to go after him and establish a settlement from scratch in a new place from scratch.
In the summer they managed to establish trade with Scandinavia. And soon one of the first settlers named Bjorni Hjorlfson during a storm came across an unknown land. It was covered with forests and green hills. Presumably, it turned out to be the northeast coast of America. Hjorlfson immediately set off on the return trip to share his discovery with his fellow tribesmen.
Erik's sons in America
Officially, the first of the Vikings set foot on the American coast by Eirik's son named Leif. The country of the Valans, so called Helluland, he visited about 1000. Also discovered Markland ("forest country"), Vinland ("winnie country", presumably Newfoundland or New England). His expedition spent the whole winter there, and then returned to Greenland.
His brother Thorvald in 1002 founded the first Viking settlement in America. But they did not last long there. Soon, the Norwegians were attacked by local Indians, who were called skrellings. Torvald was killed in battle, his associates returned home.
The descendants of Eirik the Red made two more attempts to colonize America. One of them was attended by his daughter-in-law named Goodrid. In America, she even managed to establish trade with local Indians, but still did not stay long.
In another voyage was the daughter of Eirik Freidis. She was unable to establish contact with the Indians, the Vikings had to retreat. In total, the Norwegian settlement in Vinland lasted several decades.
Evidence of the discovery of America by the Vikings
Interestingly, the hypothesis of the discovery of America by the Vikings has existed for many years, but it did not find clear evidence. Although the Norwegians discovered a map of the northeast coast of America, it was considered a fake. Only in 1960, in the territory of Canadian Newfoundland, was it possible to discover the remains of a Norwegian settlement.