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Leif Erikson Day is an annual observance that occurs on October 9. [1] It honors Leif Erikson ( Old Norse : Leifr Eiríksson ), [ note 1 ] the Norse explorer who, in approximately 1000 , led the first Europeans believed to have set foot on the continent of North America (other than Greenland ).
Leif was the son of Erik the Red and his wife Thjodhild (Old Norse: Þjóðhildur), and, through his paternal line, the grandson of Thorvald Ásvaldsson.When Erik the Red was young, his father was banished from Norway for manslaughter, and the family went into exile in Iceland (which, during the century preceding Leif's birth, had been colonized by Norsemen, mainly from Norway).
Rasmus Bjørn Anderson signature. Rasmus Bjørn Anderson (January 12, 1846 – March 2, 1936) was an American author, professor, editor, businessman and diplomat. He brought to popular attention the fact that Viking explorers were the first Europeans to arrive in the New World and was the originator of Leif Erikson Day.
"Leif Erikson Day" is spelled exactly as it is in the federal law and presidential proclamation establishing the day. As for Erikson, there is more than one spelling, and this is the most common in connection with this day. Jonathunder 13:52, 9 October 2006 (UTC) Erikson has to be spelled with two "s", "Eriksson". It cannot be spelled with a "c".
Erik's son Leif Erikson became the first Norseman to explore the land of Vinland–part of North America, presumably near modern-day Newfoundland–and invited his father on the voyage. However, according to the sagas, Erik fell off his horse on the way to the ship and took this as a bad sign, leaving his son to continue without him. [ 10 ]
Freydís Eiríksdóttir (born c. 965) [1] was an Icelandic woman said to be the daughter of Erik the Red (as in her patronym), who figured prominently in the Norse exploration of North America as an early colonist of Vinland, while her brother, Leif Erikson, is credited in early histories of the region with the first European contact.
Among the other settlers to Vinland was Freydis, the sister or half-sister of Leif Eriksson, who may have accompanied Karlsefni's voyage (Eir.) or headed an expedition of her own that ended in carnage (Grl.). The Grl. records that Karlsefni left Greenland with 60 men and five women, following the route taken by Leif and Thorvald Eiriksson.
Calder's statue is an iconic image of Leif, and has been used extensively to illustrate the explorer in various media, on souvenirs, stamps, coins, and so forth. On Leif Erikson Day 1938, Iceland's postal service released three Leif Erikson themed stamps, two of which featured images of the statue in Reykjavík. [21]