Eric The Red
Eric the Red (Eric Thorvaldsson) was the viking known for founding Greenland and creating struggling, but later flourishing settlements - But how Eric even found Greenland in the first place, has a lot more to do with ‘villain,’ than ‘hero.’
Setting the Scene Eric was born in Stavanger, Norway in the year 950 BCE (Before Common Era.) At age ten, his father, Thorvald Asvaldsson, was exiled from Norway for the act of manslaughter. Because of Eric’s youth, he had to leave as well. The two moved to Hornstrandir, Iceland. Nothing eventful happened until Thorvald died twenty years later. After his father’s death, Eric moved to Hawkdale, Iceland with his wife, Thjodhild.
Villainous Acts Lead to Exile
One day, Eric’s slaved triggered a landslide when working …show more content…
It was huge, barren, and cold. For the next two years, Eric explored the island, naming several places after himself. In year 984 CE, his banishment ended and he set sail for home.
Half-True Lies Once Eric had returned, he began to boast to the people about the island that he had found and dubbed it “Greenland.” He told them about a surplus of resources and wildlife such as whales, seals, and bears. His claims convinced many people to want to go to Greenland, and 25 ships set sail. Unfortunately, only 14 ships survived the seas. 450 new colonists had arrived on Greenland… only to find that Eric had lied. While there was an abundance of fish, there were no trees to build shelters with, or to make sustainable fires. All that was there were small brushes only useful for twigs.
A Struggling Settlement The colonists had to build their houses out of stone and dirt with their walls six to ten feet thick to insulate them, and they made their clothes out of rabbit and buckskin. Staying warm was a challenge, but so was food; The couldn’t plant any crops due to short summers and had to rely on shipments of food and livestock from
Setting the Scene Eric was born in Stavanger, Norway in the year 950 BCE (Before Common Era.) At age ten, his father, Thorvald Asvaldsson, was exiled from Norway for the act of manslaughter. Because of Eric’s youth, he had to leave as well. The two moved to Hornstrandir, Iceland. Nothing eventful happened until Thorvald died twenty years later. After his father’s death, Eric moved to Hawkdale, Iceland with his wife, Thjodhild.
Villainous Acts Lead to Exile
One day, Eric’s slaved triggered a landslide when working …show more content…
It was huge, barren, and cold. For the next two years, Eric explored the island, naming several places after himself. In year 984 CE, his banishment ended and he set sail for home.
Half-True Lies Once Eric had returned, he began to boast to the people about the island that he had found and dubbed it “Greenland.” He told them about a surplus of resources and wildlife such as whales, seals, and bears. His claims convinced many people to want to go to Greenland, and 25 ships set sail. Unfortunately, only 14 ships survived the seas. 450 new colonists had arrived on Greenland… only to find that Eric had lied. While there was an abundance of fish, there were no trees to build shelters with, or to make sustainable fires. All that was there were small brushes only useful for twigs.
A Struggling Settlement The colonists had to build their houses out of stone and dirt with their walls six to ten feet thick to insulate them, and they made their clothes out of rabbit and buckskin. Staying warm was a challenge, but so was food; The couldn’t plant any crops due to short summers and had to rely on shipments of food and livestock from