Bjarni Herjólfsson facts for kids

Bjarni Herjólfsson (lived in the 10th century) was a brave Norse explorer from Iceland. Many people believe he was the first European to see the mainland of the Americas. He sighted this new land in the year 986.

Life of a Merchant Sailor

Bjarni was born in Iceland. His father was Herjólfr and his mother was Thorgerdr. When Bjarni grew up, he became a merchant captain. This meant he sailed ships to trade goods. He was based in Norway, but he would visit his father in Iceland every summer.

An Unexpected Discovery

One summer, Bjarni sailed to Iceland to see his parents, just like always. But when he arrived, he found out his father had moved to Greenland with a famous explorer named Erik the Red. So, Bjarni decided to take his crew and sail to Greenland to find his father.

In the summer of 986, Bjarni's ship was caught in a big storm. He didn't have a map or a compass, so his ship was blown off course. When the storm cleared, he saw a piece of land that was not Greenland. It was covered with tall trees and mountains. His crew really wanted to stop and explore, but Bjarni refused. He was determined to find his parents in Greenland.

He kept sailing and later reported seeing low hills covered with forests further to the west. This land looked nice, but Bjarni was focused on reaching Greenland. He eventually arrived in Greenland and settled with his father in Herjolfsnes. He told people about the new lands he had seen, but no one seemed very interested at first. After his father passed away, Bjarni returned to Norway.

Bjarni's Lasting Impact

After Bjarni's voyage, news of the lands he had seen to the west began to spread. People in the Nordic Empire became very curious. Bjarni was praised for his discoveries, but some, like Earl Eric Haakonsson, also criticized him for not exploring the new lands more closely.

Professor Tryggvi Julius Oleson from the University of Manitoba believed that the three lands Bjarni saw were likely Newfoundland, Labrador, and Baffin Island.

The people in Greenland were especially interested in Bjarni's discoveries. They didn't have much timber in Greenland, so the idea of a wooded coastline was very appealing. Soon after, Leif Erikson, who was the son of Erik the Red, bought the very ship Bjarni had used. Leif hired a crew of 35 people and set out to follow Bjarni's route.

This journey led to what is believed to be the first Viking settlement by Europeans in the Americas. This settlement was at a place called L'Anse-aux-Meadows in Newfoundland.

In Fiction

Bjarni Herjólfsson has inspired characters in stories and games.

• The main character named Bjarni in the Cultures video game series is based on him.
• In the book The Technicolor Time Machine, the main character, Barney Hendrickson, realizes he is actually Bjarni, whose name changed over time.

See also

In Spanish: Bjarni Herjólfsson para niños