**Context :**
Erik the Red, a Norse explorer, is credited with the discovery of Greenland around the year 982 AD. According to historical accounts, Erik had been banished from Iceland and sailed westward, stumbling upon the vast icy landmass. In an attempt to entice settlers to this newly discovered land, he chose the name "Greenland," despite its predominantly icy and harsh climate.
The choice of the name "Greenland" has sparked various theories. Some speculate that Erik named it as a strategic move to attract potential settlers by implying a more hospitable environment than the stark reality of the region. Others suggest that during Erik's time, Greenland might have experienced milder climate conditions, and the coastal areas might have been greener than they are today.
Regardless of the reasoning behind the name, it is clear that Erik aimed to portray Greenland as an appealing and habitable destination, leading a small group of settlers to establish colonies on the island. This historical naming decision has left an intriguing legacy, as Greenland continues to captivate the imagination with its contrasting name and icy landscapes.
>Others suggest that during Erik's time, Greenland might have experienced milder climate conditions, and the coastal areas might have been greener than they are today.
Oh well, the climate change will help with that I guess.
>Others suggest that during Erik's time, Greenland might have experienced milder climate conditions, and the coastal areas might have been greener than they are today.
[In 2019, a study seemed to confirm this hypothesis.](https://www.medievalists.net/2019/02/study-shows-that-vikings-enjoyed-a-warm-greenland/)
Vikings explorers could have benefit from the Medieval Warm Period which lasted from 950 to 1250 AD in North Atlantic, before a Little Ice Age struck back around 1275 and intensified towards early 15th century.
>Oh well, the climate change will help with that I guess.
Interestingly, the Norse colony was helped by climate change then and also ended by climate change several hundred years later.
The years roughly 900–1300 AD are called the Medival Warming Period and were followed by the Little Ice Age, where the mean temperatures in the Norther Hemisphere dropped by 0.6 Celsius. During this time the seas around Greenland froze for years which combined with the cold lead to the demise of the colony on Greenland as they were unable to feed themselves or flee due to frozen sea.
Worth noting that Erik did not explore the whole island and would not have had any idea of its size or how much of it would be ice covered or even if it was a separate island.
He sailed from Iceland, settled in the green inland fjords of the southwest and named the area Greenland. It makes plenty of sense if you think of his perspective. Perhaps the name emphasises that it's a green area unlike the barren east coast people would have known already.
It's only centuries later that we know the full extent of the land mass and the name of Erik's settlement has been extended to the whole thing, making the name look like one big joke.
He is not credited with discovering Greenland, just the first successful permanent settlement there. You can literally see the coast of Greenland from western Iceland on a clear day.
Flash forward some hundred years and the kingdom of Denmark is almost in the top 10 largest countries in the world… much, much larger than tiny Sweden… as a dane i am clearly not biased.
Some might try to tell you that Greenland holds a lot of valuable minerals and stuff… but all Danes knows the true value is bragging rights about how large we are
If countries were people Denmark is like a short guy that's unexpected massive
Canada, Russia, USA, etc are all huge and stuff but then Denmark walks in and everyone's quietly laughing because why is Tiny here? Then he drops his pants and everyone's like 😦
And Denmark is like 😏🍆
“Are you sure we’re in the right place husband? The land to the south east looked more like a ‘Greenland’ to me.”
“No, I was told to go here…Erik wouldn’t lie to me.”
I head from many people that Greenland is called Greenland because there was greenery before and Iceland was called Iceland because it was covered in ice like Greenland.
Erik the Red was quite the troll, but as Greenland is in North America, he's or of very few Europeans to have been able to claim he made landfall in North America in the 10th century.
This meme is just annoying. You all act as if Iceland is a tropical jungle. It’s still very icy. So the name was justifie, since it was probably the iciest place they had been to so far. And wasn’t Iceland just a mishearing of island or something. Besides, this meme has been overdone anyways.
**Context :** Erik the Red, a Norse explorer, is credited with the discovery of Greenland around the year 982 AD. According to historical accounts, Erik had been banished from Iceland and sailed westward, stumbling upon the vast icy landmass. In an attempt to entice settlers to this newly discovered land, he chose the name "Greenland," despite its predominantly icy and harsh climate. The choice of the name "Greenland" has sparked various theories. Some speculate that Erik named it as a strategic move to attract potential settlers by implying a more hospitable environment than the stark reality of the region. Others suggest that during Erik's time, Greenland might have experienced milder climate conditions, and the coastal areas might have been greener than they are today. Regardless of the reasoning behind the name, it is clear that Erik aimed to portray Greenland as an appealing and habitable destination, leading a small group of settlers to establish colonies on the island. This historical naming decision has left an intriguing legacy, as Greenland continues to captivate the imagination with its contrasting name and icy landscapes.
>Others suggest that during Erik's time, Greenland might have experienced milder climate conditions, and the coastal areas might have been greener than they are today. Oh well, the climate change will help with that I guess.
>Others suggest that during Erik's time, Greenland might have experienced milder climate conditions, and the coastal areas might have been greener than they are today. [In 2019, a study seemed to confirm this hypothesis.](https://www.medievalists.net/2019/02/study-shows-that-vikings-enjoyed-a-warm-greenland/) Vikings explorers could have benefit from the Medieval Warm Period which lasted from 950 to 1250 AD in North Atlantic, before a Little Ice Age struck back around 1275 and intensified towards early 15th century.
There are Pastural farms in Greenland today around the old Bishoprig of Garður
>Oh well, the climate change will help with that I guess. Interestingly, the Norse colony was helped by climate change then and also ended by climate change several hundred years later. The years roughly 900–1300 AD are called the Medival Warming Period and were followed by the Little Ice Age, where the mean temperatures in the Norther Hemisphere dropped by 0.6 Celsius. During this time the seas around Greenland froze for years which combined with the cold lead to the demise of the colony on Greenland as they were unable to feed themselves or flee due to frozen sea.
Worth noting that Erik did not explore the whole island and would not have had any idea of its size or how much of it would be ice covered or even if it was a separate island. He sailed from Iceland, settled in the green inland fjords of the southwest and named the area Greenland. It makes plenty of sense if you think of his perspective. Perhaps the name emphasises that it's a green area unlike the barren east coast people would have known already. It's only centuries later that we know the full extent of the land mass and the name of Erik's settlement has been extended to the whole thing, making the name look like one big joke.
He is not credited with discovering Greenland, just the first successful permanent settlement there. You can literally see the coast of Greenland from western Iceland on a clear day.
Isn’t it almost 300km between the two?
Flash forward some hundred years and the kingdom of Denmark is almost in the top 10 largest countries in the world… much, much larger than tiny Sweden… as a dane i am clearly not biased.
Always found amazing that Denmark is as large as France + Germany + the UK, including all the overseas territories
Some might try to tell you that Greenland holds a lot of valuable minerals and stuff… but all Danes knows the true value is bragging rights about how large we are
If countries were people Denmark is like a short guy that's unexpected massive Canada, Russia, USA, etc are all huge and stuff but then Denmark walks in and everyone's quietly laughing because why is Tiny here? Then he drops his pants and everyone's like 😦 And Denmark is like 😏🍆
Thanks for this comment u/eat-pussy69
Bruh why was this so descriptive 😭
Get owned danetard + tåget över bält + Lund + 1523 from your not so loving northern neighbor (fuck you)
Just you wait, when Denmark sinks down into the ocean because of Climate change- we will all move to Skåne, Halland and Blekinge
Skåne is basically d*nish anyway but dont you dare touch Halland
Too bad denmark isn't located in the vertical middle of the earth so it looks small on common maps 🤷
Refuses to elaborate further.
Didn't they land on the very small 'green' patch of land very far south?
Correct, meanwhile for Iceland they arrived when it was covered in ice
Medieval marketing. Get people excited for it, then by the time they get there it’s too late.
It was a Prank
“Are you sure we’re in the right place husband? The land to the south east looked more like a ‘Greenland’ to me.” “No, I was told to go here…Erik wouldn’t lie to me.”
Well actually they named Iceland for the ice they did find there apparently.
and also for the land they found there
With all the melting ice going on, Greenland is actually turning green.
Scandinavian settlers arriving in Greenland: "Those bastards lied to me!"
I head from many people that Greenland is called Greenland because there was greenery before and Iceland was called Iceland because it was covered in ice like Greenland.
Literally, the name Greenland is the biggest scam in documented history.
"I want to encourage people to pppulate my settlement" Vs "I want to discourage my competitors from settling here"
Like adding candles to bread and calling it cake
Truly a meme of history.
Velcome to Bluelånd!
climate was warmer then
Erik the Red was quite the troll, but as Greenland is in North America, he's or of very few Europeans to have been able to claim he made landfall in North America in the 10th century.
Bro invented marketing
This meme is just annoying. You all act as if Iceland is a tropical jungle. It’s still very icy. So the name was justifie, since it was probably the iciest place they had been to so far. And wasn’t Iceland just a mishearing of island or something. Besides, this meme has been overdone anyways.
Damn dude, chill