Tyrker
Encyclopedia
Tyrker is a character mentioned in the Norse
Saga of the Greenlanders and German historical legend He accompanied Leif on his voyage of discovery around the year 1000, and is portrayed as an older German
or Hungarian male servant. He is referred to as “foster father” by Leif Ericson
, which may indicate he was a freed thrall
, who once had the responsibility of looking after and rearing the young Leif.
Leif and his company wintered in the New World after building Leifsbudir
(Leif’s dwellings), perhaps somewhere in Newfoundland or the adjacent area. According to the saga, he divided his men into two parties, which took turns in exploring the neighborhood. He cautioned his followers to keep together and return to sleep at their quarters.
One evening Tyrker did not return with his party. Greatly distraught, Leif, at the head of twelve men, went in search of him, and he had not gone far when he discovered the old German, greatly excited, gesticulating wildly, and evidently drunk.
“Why, my fosterer,” cried Leif, “have you come so late? What made you leave your companions!” Tyrker answered in German
, but when remembering that the Norsemen
could not understand him, he spoke, after some time, in their tongue:
“I have not gone very far; still I have some news for you. I have discovered vines loaded with grape
s.”
“Are you telling the truth, my foster-father?” exclaimed Leif.
“I am sure of telling the truth,” Tyrker said, “for in my native land there are vines in plenty.”
This caused Leif to give the country the name of Vinland
.
The story is generally considered to be apocryphal, and shares the element of wild grapes with the Irish
tale of Mael Duin
. However, the Norse word used in the saga is ‘vinber’. While this sometimes refers to grapes, it also translates into "wine-berry", and there is a long-standing Nordic tradition to make wine out of berries available. We know from historical records that the Icelanders and Greenlanders even made wine from crowberry
.
In the Newfoundland/Labrador area, squashberry, gooseberry
, and cranberry
all grow wild, and may serve as an explanations for Leif’s discovery of "wine-berries".
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...
Saga of the Greenlanders and German historical legend He accompanied Leif on his voyage of discovery around the year 1000, and is portrayed as an older German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
or Hungarian male servant. He is referred to as “foster father” by Leif Ericson
Leif Ericson
Leif Ericson was a Norse explorer who is regarded as the first European to land in North America , nearly 500 years before Christopher Columbus...
, which may indicate he was a freed thrall
Thrall
Thrall was the term for a serf or unfree servant in Scandinavian culture during the Viking Age.Thralls were the lowest in the social order and usually provided unskilled labor during the Viking era.-Etymology:...
, who once had the responsibility of looking after and rearing the young Leif.
Leif and his company wintered in the New World after building Leifsbudir
Leifsbudir
Leifsbudir was a settlement, mentioned in the Greenland Saga, founded by Leif Eriksson in 1000 or 1001 in Vinland.Later, 160 Greenlanders, including 16 women, established themselves there under the leadership of Norseman Thorfinn Karlsefni, the first European to come into contact with the local...
(Leif’s dwellings), perhaps somewhere in Newfoundland or the adjacent area. According to the saga, he divided his men into two parties, which took turns in exploring the neighborhood. He cautioned his followers to keep together and return to sleep at their quarters.
One evening Tyrker did not return with his party. Greatly distraught, Leif, at the head of twelve men, went in search of him, and he had not gone far when he discovered the old German, greatly excited, gesticulating wildly, and evidently drunk.
“Why, my fosterer,” cried Leif, “have you come so late? What made you leave your companions!” Tyrker answered in German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
, but when remembering that the Norsemen
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...
could not understand him, he spoke, after some time, in their tongue:
“I have not gone very far; still I have some news for you. I have discovered vines loaded with grape
Grape
A grape is a non-climacteric fruit, specifically a berry, that grows on the perennial and deciduous woody vines of the genus Vitis. Grapes can be eaten raw or they can be used for making jam, juice, jelly, vinegar, wine, grape seed extracts, raisins, molasses and grape seed oil. Grapes are also...
s.”
“Are you telling the truth, my foster-father?” exclaimed Leif.
“I am sure of telling the truth,” Tyrker said, “for in my native land there are vines in plenty.”
This caused Leif to give the country the name of Vinland
Vinland
Vinland was the name given to an area of North America by the Norsemen, about the year 1000 CE.There is a consensus among scholars that the Vikings reached North America approximately five centuries prior to the voyages of Christopher Columbus...
.
The story is generally considered to be apocryphal, and shares the element of wild grapes with the Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
tale of Mael Duin
Máel Dúin
Máel Dúin is the protagonist of Immram Maele Dúin or the Voyage of Máel Dúin, a Christian tale written in Old Irish around the end of the first millennium. He is the son of Ailill Edge-of-Battle, whose murder provides the initial impetus for the tale.Máel Dúin is the son of a warrior and chieftan....
. However, the Norse word used in the saga is ‘vinber’. While this sometimes refers to grapes, it also translates into "wine-berry", and there is a long-standing Nordic tradition to make wine out of berries available. We know from historical records that the Icelanders and Greenlanders even made wine from crowberry
Crowberry
Crowberry is a small genus of dwarf evergreen shrubs that bear edible fruit. They are commonly found in the northern hemisphere, from temperate to subarctic climates, and also in the Southern Andes of South America and on the South Atlantic islands of South Georgia, the Falklands and Tristan da...
.
In the Newfoundland/Labrador area, squashberry, gooseberry
Gooseberry
The gooseberry or ; Ribes uva-crispa, syn. R. grossularia) is a species of Ribes, native to Europe, northwestern Africa and southwestern Asia...
, and cranberry
Cranberry
Cranberries are a group of evergreen dwarf shrubs or trailing vines in the subgenus Oxycoccus of the genus Vaccinium. In some methods of classification, Oxycoccus is regarded as a genus in its own right...
all grow wild, and may serve as an explanations for Leif’s discovery of "wine-berries".