1. Eric the Red
Eric the Red was a Viking whom was the first to
explore Greenland. He lived from 950-1001. In his life he did
many memorable things, like when he moved to Greenland
and when he killed a man to save the woman he loved.
His father, Thorvald Asvaldson, killed many
people, which caused his family to be exiled for man-
slaughter when they were in Norway. The family, including
Eric, fled to Iceland. When they were in Iceland Eric’s friend,
Gunnbjom Ulffson saw a bit of land out on the west coast of
Greenland and called Eric over to see it. He decided that he
wanted to explore the new land because his friend wasn’t
the explorer type. He was nine years old at the time
2. Eric met a girl named Freya that worked at a pub in
Iceland. There were two men that wanted to take Freya on a
midnight walk. Erik killed them because he discovered that
they wanted to kill her. He loved Freya, but before they got
married he was banished from Greenland because of killing
the men and had to leave the next night.
Freya’s father was like the mayor of their village. Freya
begged her dad for Eric to be able to stay but he said no, so
she said that she would go with him to the new land. Eric
refused to take her because he thought it would be too
dangerous.
The banishment from Iceland lasted for three years.
During those years he sailed to the new land by sailing west,
he stopped on an island he called “Erik’s island”. He then
rounded the southern tip of the new land. He called the new
land Greenland.
Another important point in Erik the Red’s life was the
birth of his and Freya’s sons, Leif Eriksson, Thoravald
Eriksson, Thorstein Eriksson and his daughter, Freydis. Leif
Eriksson was believed to be the first European to reach
North America.
Eric the Red was a great explorer that did many
things in his life as a Viking. He discovered Iceland, married
the woman he saved and loved, began the
mapping of stars in the universe, and fathered a second
generation explorer, Leif Eriksson. His life as a Viking was
fulfilling and exciting.
