Page 62 - All About History - Issue 70-18

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The settlement set to the task of gathering goods hoping to buy their silence. But it didn’t work news
–
that could be profitably returned to Greenland, of her crimes soon spread. Leif came to hear of his VIKING SAGAS
with Freydís felling valuable wood for timber. As sister’s wrongdoings and even tortured some of her
winter drew in, the brothers suggested that all of followers for their crimes, but, alas, he could not Discover the heroic tales and histories of
the settlement could come together in the playing bring himself to punish his own sister. From that day Medieval Scandinavia in our new book
of games. For a time there was peace between the onwards, however, Freydís and her husband were
factions but soon the games led to arguments, and shunned by all who met them. Meanwhile, nothing EXPLORE THE EDDAS
arguments led to open hostility. Now no one passed but good was spoken of Thorfinn and Gudrid. Of Learn about Norse creation myths, their gods and
from Freydís’s house to the brothers’ and it was as if their line sprung many noble and blessed progeny. goddesses, and the way they saw the world
there were two camps drawn up for battle.
In the depth of that winter, In search of Vinland
Freydís crept from her bed and, “When the The earliest written account of the
cloaked in her husband’s furs, discovery of Vinland comes from
crossed to the brothers’ house. Skraelings around 1075 in the writings of
Barefoot, she passed over the Adam of Bremen, who documented
dewy grass. Pushing open the next came, the journeys into the west.
door, she woke Finnbogi from his they arrived “It is called Vinland because
sleep. “What do you want?” he vines producing excellent wine
asked brusquely. Freydís queried in greater grow wild there. That unsown
whether he was happy in this new crops also abound on that island
land. Finnbogi replied that the numbers” we have ascertained not from MEET THE HEROES
land was plentiful and that there fabulous reports but from the Discover the heroes of Viking legend, including Sigurd
was no cause for the breach between the two groups trustworthy relation of the Danes.” and Ragnar Lodbrok
of settlers, and so Freydís offered a solution. However, the failure of the Norse to establish lasting
She and her followers would leave Vinland if colonies on the North American continent led to their
Finnbogi gave them his ship since it was the larger discoveries being mostly forgotten about in Europe.
of the vessels that had carried them there. To be rid While Norse settlements have been discovered in
of her, Finnbogi agreed. On returning to her bed, North America by archaeologists, such as at L’Anse
Freydís’ cold, wet feet woke her husband. “Where aux Meadows in Newfoundland, the exact locations
have you been?” he asked her. described in the saga are still debated. At one point
She flared up. “I have been to see Helgi and in the saga we are told that on the shortest day of the
Finnbogi! I wished to buy their ship but they received year, the Sun was visible between ‘dagmálastaður’
me so cruelly that they struck me and sent me from and ‘eyktarstaður’. If we knew what exact times of
their door. Will you have your wife unavenged? I will day were meant by these terms, we would be able
leave you if you do not rid both me and yourself of to identify the latitude of the Norse settlements. We DISCOVER THE KINGS
this shame!” might also be able to identify the unfortunate natives Learn about the rulers in fact and myth, from Norway’s
At this, Freydís’ husband rose from his bed and who were dubbed ‘Skraelings’. earliest rulers to Cnut the Great
gathered his men. They took their weapons and It says much about Norse culture that the first
broke into the brothers’ house as everyone inside was meeting with the Skraelings was a massacre for
still in their slumber. Every person inside was bound which no cause is given. Inuit folk tales tell of
and led out. All of the men they killed at once but
killing a foreigner, using the term for European, and
© Alamy; Steven Pavlov; D. Gordon & E. Robertson; Alta Falisa five women that were there that fateful night. we still do not know what berries the Norse actually EXPLORE NEW LANDS
knowing that they would return to seek revenge.
none of Freydís’ followers could be induced to kill the
The mystery of the vines of Vinland also persists.
Freydís called for an axe and dispatched all five
Tyrker might have been sure they were grapes, but
of the women herself. Now she swore her men to
discovered in North America – they possibly could
secrecy. Any man who spoke of the day’s deeds
have been cranberries or bunchberries. Whatever
would be killed by Freydís. They would claim the
brothers’ group had set sail, never to be seen again.
they were, the wine that was produced from them
Back in Greenland, Freydís showered those who
was certainly potent enough to tempt others to
follow in search of them.
had sailed with her with the booty of their voyage,
the Far-Travelled and Leif Eriksson
Erik the Red led many colonists across the Take epic voyages to America and beyond with Ingvar
sea to Greenland. Many believed they were
heading to a green and fruitful land

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