Around 1000, Leif sailed off in search of territory that had been spotted years earlier by an Icelander named Bjarni Herjolfsson when his vessel blew off course on the way to Greenland. Believed to have been born in Iceland around 970, Leif later moved to Greenland, where his father, Erik the Red, founded the first Norse settlement. Generally considered the first European to set foot on the North American continent, Leif got there nearly 500 years before Christopher Columbus. Leif Eriksson: Beat Columbus to the New World by 500 years In 1000, Olaf was ambushed by his rivals in a battle at sea however, instead of surrendering, he supposedly jumped over the side of his ship, never to be seen again. Olaf’s actions earned him enemies, among them his onetime ally Svein Forkbeard, who wanted to restore Danish rule in Norway, and Erik of Hladir, son of Hakon. As king, Olaf forced his subjects to convert to Christianity before that, most Scandinavians were pagans who worshipped a number of gods. The following year, Olaf used his loot to invade Norway and was made king after its ruler, Hakon the Great, was murdered. In 994, Olaf and his ally Svein Forkbeard, king of Denmark, launched another raid on England and netted themselves more Danegeld. This type of payment became known as Danegeld. Afterward, the English paid off the Vikings in an effort to prevent future attacks, at least temporarily. In 991, Olaf led a Viking invasion of England, which resulted in a victory at the Battle of Maldon. Exactly why the Norse Greenlanders disappeared is a mystery, although a combination of factors might’ve played a role, including a cooling climate and declining trade opportunities.Ī grandson of Harald Fairhair, the first king to unite Norway, Olaf was born around 968 and is thought to have been raised in Russia following the death of his father. Following Erik’s death Greenland’s Norse communities continued on before being abandoned in the 14th and 15th century. At its peak, the Greenland colony had an estimated 5,000 residents. Several years later, Erik returned to Iceland and organized a fleet of 25 ships that carried colonists back to Greenland (only 14 vessels survived the journey), where they founded two main settlements in 986. After leaving home, he sailed west to a vast, uncharted island he eventually dubbed Greenland in an effort to entice future settlers. There, Erik himself was accused of manslaughter, leading to his exile from Iceland around 982. After Erik’s father was banished from Norway for killing someone, he fled with his family to Iceland. Born Erik Thorvaldsson in Norway, Erik the Red earned his nickname for his red hair and possibly his hot temper.
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