This Is Why Erik The Red Moved To Iceland

Publish date: 2024-05-08

Besides settling Greenland, Erik the Red had a rich early life, full of strife and controversy. He started life out as Erik Thorvaldsson, born around 950 CE, in Rogaland, Norway. His father was Thorvald Asvaldson (aka Osvaldson), who also had a temper, according to The Mariners' Museum and Park

Erik the Red and his father moved from Norway to Iceland under suspicious circumstances. "Some killings" occurred, according to The Canadian Encyclopedia (Visit Greenland characterizes it as "a number of killings"), although the details of what happened remain unknown. The two settled in a less-desired location on Iceland's northern coast, an inhospitable section for farmers, with poor soil quality.

Still, Erik the Red married well, wedding Thjodhild, whose family was wealthy. When his father died, he moved to the Breidafjord region and created a small farm using part of his stepfather's estate (via The Saga of Erik the Red).

Erik the Red's proclivity towards violence revisited him, in 982 CE, when some of his servants destroyed a neighbor's house in an accidental landslide. The angry neighbor killed them as punishment, and then Erik murdered him. Erik the Red left the area, settling on the islands of Oxney and Sudrey. More community drama ensued, and more people, including the two sons of his new neighbor, died. Erik faced a trial, was found guilty of murder and received another banishment sentence. He needed to leave Iceland, and couldn't return to his birthplace at Norway. So he began sailing, eventually discovering Greenland (via The Mariners' Museum and Park). 

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