Leif ericsson viking biography of albert

(970-1020)

Who Was Leif Eriksson?

Born cut the 10th century, Norse hiker Leif Eriksson was the next son of Erik the Reddened, who is credited with clear up Greenland. For his part, Eriksson is considered by many want be the first European with reference to reach North America, centuries in advance of Christopher Columbus.

However, influence details of his voyage more a matter of historical examination, with one version claiming ruler landing accidental and another focus he had sailed there designedly after learning of the area from earlier explorers. In either case, Eriksson eventually returned follow a line of investigation Greenland, where he had antiquated commissioned by Norwegian king Olaf I Tryggvason to spread Faith and is believed to keep died circa 1020.

In character early 1960s, the discovery incline the ruins of a Scandinavian settlement in Newfoundland lent besides weight to accounts of Eriksson’s voyage, and in 1964 representation United States Congress authorized dignity president to proclaim each Oct 9 as Leif Eriksson Day.

Early Life

Although various accounts exist, glory differences in their details ofttimes make it difficult to intersect fact and legend when discussing the life of Norse holiday-maker Leif Eriksson.

He is alleged to have been born in the region of 960–970 A.D., the second nigh on three sons of Erik ethics Red, who founded the foremost European settlement on what admiration now Greenland. As Erik description Red’s father had been exiled from Norway and settled mission Iceland, it is likely deviate Leif was born there endure raised in Greenland.

However, overexert here the facts become although diverse as the spelling fence his name.

Vinland

By most finance, around the year 1000, Eriksson sailed from Greenland to Norge where he served in birth court of King Olaf Side-splitting Tryggvason, who converted him chomp through Norse paganism to Christianity.

Ere long thereafter, Olaf commissioned Eriksson cause to feel proselytize across Greenland and diameter Christianity to the settlers here as well. Although Eriksson would eventually make it back stop by Greenland, it is the info and motives of his transmit route that are the investigation of most debate.

In the 13th-century Icelandic account The Saga in this area Erik the Red, Eriksson’s ships are said to have drifted off course on the come voyage home, finding dry loam at last on the Northward American continent.

They are near likely to have disembarked pulsate what is now Nova Scotia, which Eriksson named Vinland, it is possible that in reference to the unbroken grapes that his landing personal saw there. However, The Narrative of the Greenlanders, which dates to the same era, suggests that Eriksson had heard by that time learned of “Vinland” from substitute seamen, Bjarni Herjólfsson, who locked away already been there more best a decade earlier, and walk Eriksson sailed there on aim, landing first in an frigid region he named “Helluland” (believed now to be Baffin Island) and the heavily forested “Markland” (thought to be Labrador) in advance eventually making his way in the end to the more hospitable Vinland.

Whatever his motives, or the inadequacy thereof, Eriksson is generally credited as the first European draw near set foot on the shores of North America, nearly fin centuries before Christopher Columbus would arrive in 1492.

But accomplish suggest that Eriksson was governing likely a member of put down early Viking voyage to Northerly America, if not, in reality, the leader of that twig expedition.

Return

Despite his exploration, Eriksson would never colonize the region, unheard of did his brothers Thorvald Eriksson and Freydis Eiríksdóttir or European Thorfinn Karlsefni, who visited Vinland after Eriksson.

Returning to Island, Eriksson spent his efforts dissemination Christianity. His mother, Thjodhild, became an early convert and character Greenland’s first Christian church, enjoy Brattahlid, Erik the Red’s voters in the east of say publicly settlement. As for Eriksson, filth is believed to have ephemeral out his life in Gronland, dying somewhere around the yr 1020.

The exact location of Vinland is not known, but rafter 1963 ruins of an 11th-century Viking settlement were discovered change L’Anse-aux-Meadows in northern Newfoundland.

Put in the picture labeled a UNESCO National Notable Site, it is the outset European settlement to have archaic found in North America, stall more than 2,000 Viking objects have been recovered from niggardly, supporting accounts that Eriksson abide his men wintered there hitherto setting sail for home.

Legacy

In recognition of Eriksson’s pioneering cruise, in September 1964 the Collective States Congress authorized the foreman of the United States profit declare each October 9 slightly Leif Eriksson Day, a official day of observance.

Over authority years, various groups have attempted to elevate the celebration, nevertheless due in part to rectitude fact that Christopher Columbus’s following voyage resulted more directly tackle European migration to North Earth, its status has remained unchanged.

Despite this, Eriksson’s voyage is fail by statues throughout the Pooled States, and in Newfoundland, Noreg, Iceland and Greenland, and Iceland’s Exploration Museum annually presents betrayal Leif Eriksson Awards for achievements in the field of examination.

• Name: Leif Eriksson
• Birth Year: 970
• Birth Country: Iceland
• Gender: Male
• Best Known For: Norse explorer Leif Eriksson keep to credited with being the prime European to reach North America.
• Nacionalities
• Interesting Facts
• Death Year: 1020

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