Leif Erikson's Voyage to the New World

The first Europeans to set foot on North American soil were not from Spain. Roughly 500 years before the chronicles of Christopher Columbus marked the discovery of new land by the familiar name, Leif Erikson.

Leif Erikson, born approximately 960 A.D., was the son of Erik the Red, the founder of the first settlement on modern day Greenland. Following Viking tradition, Leif was not raised with his family, and grew up under a man named Thryker. Erik the Red captured Thryker from Germany and brought him back to his home in Iceland, but not as a slave. Leif moved in with Thryker and was taught how to read and write, along with everything else he needed to know. Once Leif had turned twelve, he returned to Erik's home as a man. A year later, Erik the Red had been banished from Iceland due to killing another man in a feud. Due to him being previously banished from Norway, he decided to investigate the rumors of land to the west. He took his wife and Leif, along with some slaves on a voyage west, and after a few days landed on the west coast of Greenland. There he built a camp and it was during these years that he taught Leif about trade and sailing.

After three years, Erik returned to Iceland and told them of Greenland. Due to famine, overgrazing and a dwindling timber supply, many people decided to accompany him back to Greenland. Leif, who was between 16 to 20 at the time, enjoyed watching the boats at the docks and listening to the stories of sailors. He heard the story of Bjarni Hergelfson's last voyage, who had trouble navigating due to mist covering the north star. His story included spotting land that was green and covered with trees, but they didn't land because they were heading for Greenland. This story sparked curiosity in a young Leif Erikson, who would later make his own journey to the green and forested lands.

Leif grew older and became a skilled navigator and sailor. During the year 1000 A.D., at the age of 24, he prepared to captain his first major voyage to bring gifts to King Olaf in Norway. He departed with fourteen men and Thryker on a longship. It was a long and troublesome journey, delayed by storms and poor winds, but when he arrived he was welcomed by King Olaf who was impressed with Leif's sailing. King Olaf knew Leif's father well, and invited him to stay in Norway and rest while experiencing the luxuries of the crown. While playing chess with Leif, the king told him of Christianity, which was rapidly spreading and replacing the pagan gods. Leif was interested in this new religion and agreed to be baptized. When he returned to Greenland, he brought with him a priest to spread Christianity.

Once Leif had returned to Greenland, he decided to pursue the lands to the west that Bjarni had told of. He bought Bjarni's ship and gathered some thirty five men, including Thryker, before sailing north. His father, Erik the Red, was set to join them, but decided to stay after falling off his horse and getting injured. Leif and his crew followed Bjarni's course, travelling up the western coast of Greenland and then west for about 600 miles before finding land. This land was not green and covered with forests, it was made of tall glaciers and rock. He named this land, which was most likely modern day Baffin Island, "Helluland" (Flat-Rock Land). From here, he ventured further south and landed for the second time in a forested land he called "Markland" (Forest Land) on the eastern coast of modern day Canada. Soon after, they sailed further south and landed in modern day Newfoundland. The verdant land had plentiful supply of salmon and was covered in pastures for their cattle. They decided to settle and build a house for the winter at the tip of the island in a place now known as L'Anse Aux Meadow, which is an active archaeological site studying the Norse remains. They made several shelters and explored the new land teeming with strange plants and animals. Thryker was lost one morning while exploring the land. When he was found, he was laughing and shouting in German. He then revealed that the land was covered in vines and grapes, to which Leif decided to name it "Vinland", which translates to "Wine Land". Interact with the map below to better understand Leif's voyage to Vinland, and keep in mind that this was done approximately 1,000 years ago.

After exploring the land, Leif and his crew loaded their boat with grapes and timber, and prepared to Winter. The winter was not like a typical Nordic winter, as no frost would appear on the grass and the days lasted longer. This unfortunately marked the end of Leif Erikson's voyage, and the following spring they returned to Greenland. Surprisingly, there were few attempts to further explore these new lands. There was a notable attempt by Thorfinn Karlsefni to settle Vinland years later.

Thorfinn, who married Leif's sister-in-law, Gudrid, wanted to make a permanent settlement in Vinland. Leif agreed to lend Thorfinn his houses there, and set sail with somewhere between 60-140 men on three ships. They ate a beached whale during the voyage, which caused illness and infighting between the Christians and the pagans. When they arrived they fully settled in and even traded with the native people. Thorfinn's wife gave birth to their son there, who may have been the first European born in North America. A bull they brought ended up frightening the native people, and weeks later skirmishes ensued. Many were killed and they eventually returned to Greenland. No more attempts were made to explore west, and as a result the rest of Europe remained in the dark about the new continent.