Garðar Svavarsson facts for kids

Garðarr Svavarsson (modern Icelandic: Garðar Svavarsson, modern Swedish: Gardar Svavarsson) was a Swede who lived in Iceland for a short time. Old stories called the Icelandic Sagas say he was the second Scandinavian to reach Iceland. The first was a man named Naddodd. Most of what we know about Garðarr and his family comes from these Sagas.

Who Was Garðarr Svavarsson?

Garðarr Svavarsson was a Viking from Sweden. He owned land in a place called Zealand in what is now Denmark. He was married to a woman from the Hebrides, which are islands near Scotland.

Around the 860s, Garðarr went on a trip to collect what his father-in-law had left him. During this journey, his ship got caught in a big storm. The storm pushed his ship far north.

Discovering Iceland

The storm carried Garðarr's ship all the way to the eastern coast of Iceland. He then sailed all the way around the island. This made him the first known person to sail around Iceland, proving it was an island!

Garðarr landed his ship at a place called Skjálfandi. He built a house there and stayed for the winter. This spot in northeastern Iceland is now known as Húsavík.

Naming the New Land

When Garðarr returned home, he spoke highly of the new land. He even named it after himself, calling it Garðarshólmi. This means "Garðarr's Isle."

We don't know much about what happened to Garðarr after this. However, his son, Uni danski (which means Uni the Dane), later moved to Iceland. Uni tried to become a leader there for the Norwegian king. But the local farmers didn't want his help, and his plan didn't work out.

Garðarr's Family in Iceland

Uni danski had a son named Hróar Tungugoði. Hróar inherited his family's land in Iceland. The Sagas tell us that Hróar had arguments with other men. He won two battles against them.

Hróar was later killed, but his own son got revenge for him. Hróar's wife was Arngunnur. She was the sister of Gunnar Hámundarson. Gunnar is a very important character in Njáls saga. This is the longest and one of the most famous Icelandic Sagas.

See also

In Spanish: Gardar Svavarsson para niños