Q: Dear 100 Hour Board,
Please vindicate me. Where was Leif Ericson from? Denmark or Norway?
Winning the War on Ego
A: Dear Ego Popper
Well, the original European explorer, is not really Danish, Norwegian or anything. Not technically. But if you picked Norwegian, you are probably more correct than Danish.
Thought to be born sometime around 970 AD in Iceland, Leif was the son of Eric the Red, a Norwegian marauder (yes - isn't that every viking?). He was Norse. But even that name is somewhat misleading - as it refers to people of Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Iceland. It is really more of a loose collection of 'Northern' tribes and seafarers. Initially they started in the Scandinavia (Denmark, Sweden, Norway) but by the 11th Century were spread out from Greenland, through England, into Russia all the way down to the Black Sea as also in France (Normans). Odd thinking about Vikings settling in Sicily - but they did. Didn't need the fur then though.
So in this sense Leif is both Danish and Norwegian. But he is believed to stem from a Norwegian line - making him more from Norway. He did travel back to Norway where the king converted him. After converting those in Greenland Leif landed in Vinland, somewhere in Newfoundland - Northeast Canada. The story goes that they found wild grapes so named it Vine Land. Researchers have found Viking settlements on the island. Some even believe they made it all the way to Minnesota. But that's another tale.
I hope your follow-up to this isn't too ego-popping. But beware. If the other person has viking blood in them, you may be in for some pillaging.
Sincerely,
100 hour Board