Overview

About 1,000 years ago, the North Atlantic island of Greenland, the largest island in the world, was colonized by a group of Vikings ruled by the famous Erik the Red. The colonies died out after about 400 years, their inhabitants perhaps victims of changing climate or conflicts with native peoples. During their existence, however, the Norse settlements in Greenland provided a springboard for further exploration westward, including the first journeys by Europeans to North America.

Background

The Vikings were a seafaring Nordic people of the Middle Ages, ancestors of today's Danes, Norwegians, Swedes and Icelanders. During the height of their influence, from about 750-1050, they ranged across northern Europe and as far south as the Mediterranean. They established a territory in northern England called the Danelaw. The Norse occupation of northern France is reflected in the name of the region of Normandy.

The...