Difference between revisions of "Leif Erikson"
(add navbox) |
|||
| Line 3: | Line 3: | ||
Leif returned to Greenland in 1001. Leif never returned and attempts at settlement of Vinland were unsuccessful due to the native North Americans. | Leif returned to Greenland in 1001. Leif never returned and attempts at settlement of Vinland were unsuccessful due to the native North Americans. | ||
| − | |||
| − | |||
(Excerpted for "Norwegian Explorers on the ODIN website, produced for the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.) | (Excerpted for "Norwegian Explorers on the ODIN website, produced for the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.) | ||
Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia, 1995 ed. "Leif Ericson." | Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia, 1995 ed. "Leif Ericson." | ||
| + | |||
| + | {{DEFAULTSORT:Erikson, Leif}} | ||
| + | {{Nb_explorers}} | ||
Revision as of 12:05, January 20, 2008
Leif Erikson (or Leifur Eiríksson) was born in Iceland in 970 and died in 1020. He was son of Eric the Red who lived on the West Coast of Greenland and was an outlaw from Norway. Leif's friend, Lars Almvig, told a saga of a land far to the west that had been seen through a mist by a Viking band led by Bjarni Herjulfsson in 986 that had been blown off course. Encouraged by the constant need of land to farm, Leif organized a voyage and bought Bjarni's ship and headed west in about 990 AD. He followed Bjarni's route in reverse, making three landfalls after about 4 1/2 days. The first of these he named Helluland or Flat-Stone Land which is now Labrador. The second was Markland, or Wood Land, possibly Newfoundland. The exact location of the third, which was named Vinland could have been as far north as northern Newfoundland or as far south as Cape Cod or even beyond this. Erikson was a Christian convert, and spread his new religion to his colonies. Leif returned to Greenland in 1001. Leif never returned and attempts at settlement of Vinland were unsuccessful due to the native North Americans.
(Excerpted for "Norwegian Explorers on the ODIN website, produced for the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.) Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia, 1995 ed. "Leif Ericson."
| |||||