History of the Vikings: A Captivating Guide to the Viking Age and Feared Norse Seafarers Such as Ragnar Lothbrok, Ivar the Boneless, Egil Skallagrimsson, and More by Captivating History

Author:Captivating History [History, Captivating]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Published: 2018-11-02T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirteen: Erik the Red – Mighty Warrior and Brave Explorer

The Vikings’ ability to adapt to their environment and establish settlements in areas that by most standards would be considered harsh and inhospitable, and the impact this had on world history, is clearly illustrated by the adventures of Erik the Red and his son, Leif Erikson.

Erik Thorvaldsson, better known by his nickname Erik the Red because of his flaming red hair and beard, perfectly fits the popular image of the fearsome Viking warrior who spent his days raiding and plundering, and his nights feasting, drinking, and regaling his fellow Norsemen with tall tales of his daring exploits.

Erik has been described in the sagas as a large, strong man, who could wield a double-edged sword or ax with skill and accuracy. He was by all accounts a mighty warrior and also a violent man with a short temper, who did not shy away from confrontation. He was clearly not averse to killing, in battle or in the heat of an argument. In his youth, he did his fair share of looting, joining his fellow Norsemen as they ruthlessly preyed on weaker communities, small settlements, churches, and monasteries. But he was also an adventurer who changed the face of the Viking world. Erik the Red’s greatest achievement was not on the battlefield. His legacy is the discovery and settlement of Greenland.

Erik the Red was born circa 950 in Norway as the son of a Norwegian farmer, Thorvald Asvaldsson. When Thorvald was found guilty of murder and banished from Norway, the family moved to Iceland. Erik grew up on a typical Icelandic farm. By the time he was twelve, he was considered a man and was expected to do his fair share of the hard, physical labor that was required to feed the family. He learned how to hunt and fish, as well as raise livestock and plants and harvest crops, and Erik grew up to be a successful farmer.

After the death of his father, Erik married Thjodhild Jorundsdottir, and together they moved to another part of Iceland, named Haukadal. Thjodhild came from a wealthy family, and it is believed that the property where they settled after their marriage may have been part of the marriage dowry or an inheritance from her family. Most Vikings married young; brides could be as young as twelve, and by the age of twenty, most Viking men and women were already married. Marriages were usually arranged by the parents, and a marriage was seen not only as a union between husband and wife but as a contract between two families. When the parents agreed on a marriage, the groom’s family paid a bride price, and when the marriage took place, the bride’s father paid a dowry. This meant that both families had a financial interest in the marriage.

Erik made good use of his marriage dowry, and at Haukadal, he prospered. He built a farm called Eiriksstadir and started a family. He had four children who survived to adulthood: three sons, Thorvald, Leif, and Thorstein, and a daughter, Freydis.

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