Around A.D. 800 to the 11th century, a vast number of Scandinavians left their homelands to seek their fortunes elsewhere. These warriors were known mostly as Vikings or Norsemen Vikings. The name Viking came from the Scandinavians themselves, from the Old Norse word "vik" (bay or creek) which formed the root of "vikingr" (pirate). The vikings expanded from their original homeland in Scandinavia and settled down in some islands in the west which included Faeroe and Iceland. Vikings whose activities are best known come from the areas now known as Denmark, Norway and Sweden. The reasoning for the vikings venturing out and exploring is not precisely known. It may have have been due to it was due to overpopulation of their homeland, but the Vikings were looking for riches, not land (Neil Schlager and Josh Lauer. Vol. 2.) Five hundred years before Columbus, a group of vikings were led by Leif Erikson. Leif Erikson was born in Iceland, the son of Eric the Red. He moved with his parents to Greenland in 986. He was the first Norseman to seek out the coast of North America and he introduced Christianity into Greenland. After his first trip to Vinland, he returned to the family estate of Brattahlíð in Greenland, and started preaching Christianity to the Greenlanders. Erikson was described as wise, considerate, …show more content…
They established their farms along Greenland's southwestern coast, raising livestock on the rich land. Greenland didn't have much timber, or metal for tools and weapons. They did, however, have huge amount of wildlife on both land and sea. Settlers received furs and hides, whalebone, and walrus ivory to trade for the goods they needed. Erikson and his crew took advantage of this. They grabbed everything they needed and as much of it as possible before traders in merchant ships came sailing the waters between Greenland, Iceland, and the Norwegian mainland ("The Vikings Explore North
This discovery was made by the Scandinavian explorer Hans Egede, 300 years ago when he went out in search of the lost Greenland colonies. Although Hans was unsuccessful at finding the lost colonies he did find the local Inuit. He recorded in his ship’s log his interaction with them. The ship’s log tells many oral stories from the Inuit people claiming that their Thule ancestors fought the Norse Vikings for their iron and ultimately killed them off. Hans Egede ship’s log also confirms that the Thule were great survivors and warriors, whilst being directly related to the modern day Inuit. Niobe Thompson concludes that the Thule odyssey ended in Greenland right when the Inuit odyssey began. Even though the Thule journey ended their traditions and ways of survival are still used in Inuit communities
This is because, the Norse did in fact have regular contact and knowledge of these people. The Skræling and Thule people were commonly referred to by the Norse. Thule, which is now called Qaanaaq, is located in northwest Greenland, towards Canada and is part of the Kingdom of Denmark. It is believed the Thule people are the ancestors of the modern Inuit (Eskimo) as they are linked biologically, culturally, and linguistically. The Vikings were in contact with the Thule people, particularly in the 11th century when they explored Greenland and the edges of Canada where they referred to these people as both “Thule” and “Skræling.” During the occurrence of the “Little Ice Age” in 1650 - 1850 AD, the changed climate caused the Thule communities to migrate and scatter in which they later became known as th...
All across cultures in history, varying groups of beliefs have come into contact with one another. As for early Muslims, military expansion and travel were key components for spreading the Islamic religion to foreign nations. However, not all exchanges were hostile or wholly based on the conquest of exotic lands. Some interactions solely were based on capturing lands to control, while allowing non-converters to remain in the area as the military continued forward gaining new territory. The primary sources, The Viking Rus, Peace Terms with Jerusalem, and The Pact to Be Accorded to Non-Muslim Subjects provide insight on how Muslims interacted with other religious groups. Early Muslims saw the expansion of Islam through conquest, travel, and trade with foreign cultures and beliefs, all while having unusual exchanges with each faith.
The vikings first made contact in eighth century Shetland. From there they made their way south to Orkney and Caithness, eventual...
Through raiding, some Vikings settled in foreign lands, where they farmed, raised cattle and in time, contributed to the community like the natives.
back to America to trade but not to settle (Weiner 4). The Vikings still wanted to make money and had to make a living so they came back to trade. The Vikings did return to trade in North America, but they only wanted to trade with the Native
Many people think that Christopher Columbus was the first European to set foot in America, but this conventional belief is wrong; Leif Erikson, a Norse explorer set foot in Newfoundland almost 500 years before Columbus was even born. This paper will cover everything about Leif Erikson’s life including his grandfather’s banishment from Norway, and Leif’s father’s exile from Iceland. Leif Erikson’s early life, his family, and his visit to Norway to serve under the king. The first recorded European to see North America, Bjarni Herjólfsson, and Leif Erikson’s voyage to America. This paper is also going to talk about Leif Erikson’s brother, Thorvald Erikson’s voyage to Vinland because his tale is interesting. Near the end of this research paper, it will have a paragraph on Leif Erikson’s later life. Finally at the end of this paper it is going to talk about the unknown reason why no other Europeans sailed to Vinland, and Leif’s impact on modern day North America.
“Three explorers from the Age of Exploration” Age of Explorations was a time of discovery of the new world during the 15th through 17th century. Many Explorers were in search for new passage ways, new trading ports, new land, new spices, and riches. The three explorers discussed in this paper is Henry Hudson, Jacques Cartier, and Francisco Pizarro. Henry Hudson was an explorer whose main purpose was to find a route to Asia from Europe, he had a series of three voyages trying to achieve this. Jacques Cartier was sent to find riches and a route to Asia as well.
This was not the end of Viking expansionism. Earlier, Eric the Red was expelled from Norway for manslaughter and resettled in Iceland with his family as many Norse refugees from Norway had before him. In 982 AD, the Icelanders had also expelled him at a “thing”(assembly) from Iceland for three years for some killings over a dispute he had committed there.
Leif Erikson set out for the Netherlands around 1000 A.D. The reason he was going to the Netherlands was to be converted to Christianity by King Olaf the first. I believe that his father may have sent him, or King Olaf sent for him. On his way to the Netherlands, he stopped at Norway. There he met the local chief's daughter Thorgunna. Before he left, she told him that she was going to have his son. That son’s name was
Leif is also known to have been converted to Christianity by King Olaf of Norway. Leif met with the king on one of his voyages, and the king proceeded to convert him, as was his custom with the people he believed to be heathens. “It proved easy for the king to persuade Leif, and he was accordingly baptized, together with all of his shipmates” (The Saga of Eric the Red). Little else is known about Leif’s personal life, and even less about his death, but he is believed to have lived peacefully in Greenland for the latter part of his life.
Erickson was a Scandinavian Viking who landed on the shores of Canada decades before Columbus was even born. Plus the people known as Native
Trading was a critical part to the culture life of a Viking. This task brought in many important goods that the Vikings needed to live an ordinary life. The Vikings were the international tradesmen of their time. In Constantinople (Istanbul) they traded silk and spices for slaves that they had brought from Russia. They Amber they found in the Baltic area and they brought furs, skins, and walrus tusk ivory to the trading towns in Western Europe from the northern parts of the world such as Greenland. The Vikings founded trading cities in Scandinavia such as Birka, Ribe, Hedeby and Skiringsal. In Ireland they founded terrific trade in Dublin and, in England, they made the city of York flourish to become the most important trading town outside of London (La Fay 149-150). At a time when old trade routes between east and west thro...
The Vikings came from three countries of Scandinavia: Denmark, Norway and Sweden. The Scandinavians left their homelands permanently to settle abroad are still the subject of debate. There is no evidence to suggest that they had to leave to find new land on which to settle their growing population, as studies have shown that there was sufficient land available in Scandinavia.
The most accepted official start of the Viking Age is recorded to have begun on June 8th, 793 AD when Norse raiders landed on the island of Lindisfarne and attacked the Christian Monastery located there, killing the monks and seizing the valuables. Viking raids by op...