Snaebjörn Galti
Encyclopedia
Snøbjørn Galte Holmsteinsson (Old Norse
: Snæbjörn Galti, ca. 910-978) was the first Norseman
to intentionally navigate to Greenland
, doing so in 978 CE.
His voyage followed the accidental discovery of lands west of Iceland
by Gunnbjörn Ulfsson
, probably in the early 10th century. According to records from the time, Galte led the first attempt to colonize the eastern coast of Greenland. However his effort ended with disaster and he was killed in internal strife. There had been a saga about the voyage of Snøbjørn Galte (Snæbjörn saga galti), but it has unfortunately been lost over time.
Erik the Red
(Eiríkr Rauði) would become the first permanent European settler. In 982 Eric the Red arrived from Iceland
. According to the Saga of Erik the Red (Eiríks saga rauða), he spent his three years exploring the west coast of Greenland. Apparently he planned his journey much better and probably was luckier with the weather as well as maintaining better control of his crew.
Old Norse
Old Norse is a North Germanic language that was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and inhabitants of their overseas settlements during the Viking Age, until about 1300....
: Snæbjörn Galti, ca. 910-978) was the first Norseman
Norsemen
Norsemen is used to refer to the group of people as a whole who spoke what is now called the Old Norse language belonging to the North Germanic branch of Indo-European languages, especially Norwegian, Icelandic, Faroese, Swedish and Danish in their earlier forms.The meaning of Norseman was "people...
to intentionally navigate to Greenland
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
, doing so in 978 CE.
His voyage followed the accidental discovery of lands west of Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
by Gunnbjörn Ulfsson
Gunnbjörn Ulfsson
Gunnbjørn Ulfsson , name also given as Gunnbjørn Ulf-Krakuson, was the first European to sight North America....
, probably in the early 10th century. According to records from the time, Galte led the first attempt to colonize the eastern coast of Greenland. However his effort ended with disaster and he was killed in internal strife. There had been a saga about the voyage of Snøbjørn Galte (Snæbjörn saga galti), but it has unfortunately been lost over time.
Erik the Red
Erik the Red
Erik Thorvaldsson , known as Erik the Red , is remembered in medieval and Icelandic saga sources as having founded the first Nordic settlement in Greenland. The Icelandic tradition indicates that he was born in the Jæren district of Rogaland, Norway, as the son of Thorvald Asvaldsson, he therefore...
(Eiríkr Rauði) would become the first permanent European settler. In 982 Eric the Red arrived from Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
. According to the Saga of Erik the Red (Eiríks saga rauða), he spent his three years exploring the west coast of Greenland. Apparently he planned his journey much better and probably was luckier with the weather as well as maintaining better control of his crew.