The Vikings uncommon military tactics along with their strong willed shieldmaidens often intimidated Frankish rulers, many Frankish rulers would even to pay off the Vikings in hopes of preventing farther attacks on their subjects. This did backfire on what is now Paris, in 841CE Frankish King Charles payed a Viking leader 7000 livres of silver and gold for the freedom of Paris, this would be the equivalent of 17,429.30US dollars (without inflation). After hearing tales of how generous the Frankish king was Ragnar Lodbrok attacked the city of Paris in 845 CE with 120 long ships and 5000 Viking warriors lead by in hopes of receiving more than was previously given. Contrary to popular belief, the Viking people did not focus their time on raiding towns or monasteries. They focused their time on trade, forming settlements, and farming their land. Because of this by the mid-ninth century, Viking settlements had formed in Ireland, Scotland, and England. According to legends, Leif Erikson also known as Erik the Red played a key role in creating many of these settlements.
In 960 Erik the Reds father was exiled from Norway, Erik's entire family would eventually form a small settlement in Iceland. In 982 CE Erik the Red he was sentenced to exile from Iceland for three years after commenting a murder. Upon his exile Erick the Red sailed west and discovered a new country, he was so impressed with this new country's resources that he returned to Iceland to spread the word of "The green land". In 985 CE Erick the Red set sail for the green land with a fleet of 25 ships, onboard were around 500, men and women, domestic animals and anything else that they would need to start a new country. Unfortunately, of the 25 ships only 14 made it to the green land. It was here that Erik the Red would established a chieftain's seat of power at what is now Qassiarsuk in Southern Greenland. It is widely believed that Erick the Red visited Norway in around 1000 where he was then converted to Christianity by Olaf I. Around 500 years before Christopher Columbus ‘discovered’ the American continent, it is believed that Leif Erickson had already visited its shores, landing in what is now Canada in around 1000CE. Unfortunately, this is where the legends of Leif Erikson begin to split and shift, in one version of the legend called “Saga of Erik the Red” it is believed that Erick the Red crossed the Atlantic by accident after sailing off course on his return home from Norway after being converted to Christianity. A deferent legend called “Saga of the Greenlanders” states that Erick the Red’s voyage to North America was no accident. Instead, Erick the Red had heard of land to the west from Icelandic trader, who claimed that he had overshot Greenland and sailed by the shores of North America without setting foot upon it. It is said that Erik the Red then bought the trader’s ship, raised a crew of 35 men and retraced the route in reverse. Although there are many legends of how Leif Erickson arrived in North America we know these tales are far from fiction. To date the sagas or Erick the Red have led archaeologists to one actual, verified Norse historical site in the Americas. The settlement L’Anse aux Meadows is a 1000-year-old seaside settlement located on the on the northernmost tip of Newfoundland in northern Canada. With patience and a view from space researchers were …show more content…
Almost nothing is known about the Vikings religious practice’s although many religious scholars believe that the chieftains had roles similar to priest along with their normal leadership roles. It is also believed that pagan worship involved the sacrifice of horses, but know other animal sacrifice is known. However, we do know that when the Viking people converted from paganism to Christianity the pagan gods they previously worshiped did not disappear. Instead the Viking people simply changed the language that they used to refer to them, rather than calling them gods they started to use them as myths. Many of these myths would change over time and would eventually show parallels to the Christian
In 960 Erik the Reds father was exiled from Norway, Erik's entire family would eventually form a small settlement in Iceland. In 982 CE Erik the Red he was sentenced to exile from Iceland for three years after commenting a murder. Upon his exile Erick the Red sailed west and discovered a new country, he was so impressed with this new country's resources that he returned to Iceland to spread the word of "The green land". In 985 CE Erick the Red set sail for the green land with a fleet of 25 ships, onboard were around 500, men and women, domestic animals and anything else that they would need to start a new country. Unfortunately, of the 25 ships only 14 made it to the green land. It was here that Erik the Red would established a chieftain's seat of power at what is now Qassiarsuk in Southern Greenland. It is widely believed that Erick the Red visited Norway in around 1000 where he was then converted to Christianity by Olaf I. Around 500 years before Christopher Columbus ‘discovered’ the American continent, it is believed that Leif Erickson had already visited its shores, landing in what is now Canada in around 1000CE. Unfortunately, this is where the legends of Leif Erikson begin to split and shift, in one version of the legend called “Saga of Erik the Red” it is believed that Erick the Red crossed the Atlantic by accident after sailing off course on his return home from Norway after being converted to Christianity. A deferent legend called “Saga of the Greenlanders” states that Erick the Red’s voyage to North America was no accident. Instead, Erick the Red had heard of land to the west from Icelandic trader, who claimed that he had overshot Greenland and sailed by the shores of North America without setting foot upon it. It is said that Erik the Red then bought the trader’s ship, raised a crew of 35 men and retraced the route in reverse. Although there are many legends of how Leif Erickson arrived in North America we know these tales are far from fiction. To date the sagas or Erick the Red have led archaeologists to one actual, verified Norse historical site in the Americas. The settlement L’Anse aux Meadows is a 1000-year-old seaside settlement located on the on the northernmost tip of Newfoundland in northern Canada. With patience and a view from space researchers were …show more content…
Almost nothing is known about the Vikings religious practice’s although many religious scholars believe that the chieftains had roles similar to priest along with their normal leadership roles. It is also believed that pagan worship involved the sacrifice of horses, but know other animal sacrifice is known. However, we do know that when the Viking people converted from paganism to Christianity the pagan gods they previously worshiped did not disappear. Instead the Viking people simply changed the language that they used to refer to them, rather than calling them gods they started to use them as myths. Many of these myths would change over time and would eventually show parallels to the Christian