Velkommen! Leif Erickson Day And other Viking Sagas

About 800 A.D., Vikings sailed south on longships and violently swept through Europe. Their influence on English can be seen in our modern language. The words for some of the days of the week come from the names of the Norse gods and goddesses Tyr, wooden, Thor, and Frey. The prowess of the Vikings as mariners also led them, under Leif, son of Eric the Red, to sail to the North American continent in approximately 1003 A.D.

Norway became a political entity in 872 A.D., under the Viking King Harald the Fairhaired. The language of Norway at this time was Old West Scandanavian, from which Icelandic, Faroese, and Modern Norwegian derive.

Christianity was introduced to Norway in the 11th century A.D., bringing with it the Latin alphabet. the earliest written Old Norwegian manuscripts date back to the 12th century, and include the Sagas - histories of Scandanavian life aas it was in that era.

Leif Erickson's Viking ship

Their mission is to educate the North American Peoples that Leif Ericson was the first European known to have discovered and settled on this continent in 1003 AD nearly 500 years before Columbus. They use their Vikingship "Norseman" both to attract attention to their cause and to experience what it was like to travel on the water a thousand years ago. They celebrate Leif Ericson's day on October 9th.

If your 2002 Calendar does not have Leif Ericson Day marked on October 9th. (it probably won't) WRITE to the Publisher and suggest or demand that they MARK OCTOBER 9th. AS LEIF ERICSON day in their 2003 edition!

Thank you.

Please note the following Calendar publishers regularly include "Leif Ericson Day", please support them!

Leif Erickson's Viking ship
Hoyle Products, a division of Brown & Bigelow Publishers
The Old Farmers Almanac, Yankee Publishing

Viking and Leif Ercikson Day Links

The Vikings Homepage
Viking Heritage
Vikings in the New World

Leif Ericksons Viking Ship ............................ Leif Erickson Day Official - October 9th
SCA Chapter, San Diego State University ... Leif Erickson Day Tourney - December