Greenland

Greenland

History The first Vikings arrived over 4 to 5 thousand years ago, travelling across the frozen seas from Canada.

Greenland was found by Eric the Red in 986. Eric, banished from Iceland, fled from his home country and settled on the western shore of Greenland, establishing three tribal settlements that lasted until the 15th Century. In 1125, Greenland was conquered by Norway. Over 3,000 Vikings lived in Greenland at the time.

This is the route Eric the Red took to reach Greenland.

Eric the Red Eric the Red, born in the 10th Century, was a Norse chieftain, discoverer and colonizer of Greenland. He left Norway in 951 with his exiled father and settled in Iceland. He was banished from Iceland for three years after manslaughter in 981. He sailed to seek land and found the Western coast of Greenland in 982. Eric and his Vikings spent three years exploring the Southern and Western coasts of Greenland. Eric returned to Iceland in 986 for more followers. He led the new followers to Greenland with 25 ships, of which only 14 arrived, carrying more than 500 people. Eric established a farmstead, Brattahlid, near present day Julianehaab, and was a leader of a southern settlement at Osterbygd.