Freydís Eiríksdóttir
Encyclopedia
Freydís Eiríksdóttir was a daughter of Erik the Red
(as in her patronym) who was associated with the Norse exploration of North America. The only medieval sources which mention Freydís are the two Vinland sagas
, believed to be composed in the 13th century but purporting to describe events around 1000. They offer widely differing accounts, though in both Freydís appears as a strong-willed woman. Eiríks saga rauða describes her as a half-sister of Leif Eiríksson but according to Grœnlendinga saga
she was a full sister.
led by Þorfinnr Karlsefni. Her major part in the story is intervening in a battle between the Norse and the native Skrælingjar. The natives are mounting an attack and have driven the Norse into a retreat.
Grœnlendinga saga
After expeditions to Vinland led by Leifr Eiríksson, Þorvaldr Eiríksson and Þorfinnr Karlsefni met with some success Freydís wants the prestige and wealth associated with a Vinland journey. She makes a deal with two Icelandic men, Helgi and Finnbogi, that they should go together to Vinland and share all profits half-and-half. They agree to bring the same number of men but Freydís secretly takes more.
In Vinland, Freydís betrays her partners, has them and their men attacked when sleeping and killed. She personally executes the five women in their group since no-one else would do the deed. Freydís wants to conceal her treachery and threatens death to anyone who tells of the killings. She goes back to Greenland after a year's stay and tells the story that Helgi and Finnbogi
had chosen to remain in Vinland.
But not everyone is silent and word of the killings eventually reaches the ears of Leifr. He has three men from Freydís's expedition tortured until they confess the whole occurrence. Thinking ill of the deeds he still does not want "to do that to Freydis, my sister, which she has deserved".
Erik the Red
Erik Thorvaldsson , known as Erik the Red , is remembered in medieval and Icelandic saga sources as having founded the first Nordic settlement in Greenland. The Icelandic tradition indicates that he was born in the Jæren district of Rogaland, Norway, as the son of Thorvald Asvaldsson, he therefore...
(as in her patronym) who was associated with the Norse exploration of North America. The only medieval sources which mention Freydís are the two Vinland sagas
Vinland sagas
The Vinland Sagas are two Icelandic documents, The Saga of the Greenlanders and The Saga of Eric the Red, ....
, believed to be composed in the 13th century but purporting to describe events around 1000. They offer widely differing accounts, though in both Freydís appears as a strong-willed woman. Eiríks saga rauða describes her as a half-sister of Leif Eiríksson but according to Grœnlendinga saga
Grœnlendinga saga
The Grœnlendinga saga is an Icelandic saga. Along with Eiríks saga rauða it is one of the two main literary sources of information for the Norse exploration of North America. It relates the colonization of Greenland by Erik the Red and his followers...
she was a full sister.
Saga of Erik the Red
Freydís joins an expedition to VinlandVinland
Vinland was the name given to an area of North America by the Norsemen, about the year 1000 CE.There is a consensus among scholars that the Vikings reached North America approximately five centuries prior to the voyages of Christopher Columbus...
led by Þorfinnr Karlsefni. Her major part in the story is intervening in a battle between the Norse and the native Skrælingjar. The natives are mounting an attack and have driven the Norse into a retreat.
Freydis came out and saw how they were retreating. She called out, "Why run you away from such worthless creatures, stout men that ye are, when, as seems to me likely, you might slaughter them like so many cattle? Let me but have a weapon, I think I could fight better than any of you." They gave no heed to what she said. Freydis endeavoured to accompany them, still she soon lagged behind, because she was not well [pregnant]; she went after them into the wood, and the Skrælingar directed their pursuit after her. She came upon a dead man; Thorbrand, Snorri's son, with a flat stone fixed in his head; his sword lay beside him, so she took it up and prepared to defend herself therewith.
Then came the Skrælingjar upon her. She let down her sark and struck her breast with the sword. At this they were frightened, rushed off to their boats, and fled away. Karlsefni and the rest came up to her and praised her zeal. - Sephton's translation
Grœnlendinga sagaGrœnlendinga sagaThe Grœnlendinga saga is an Icelandic saga. Along with Eiríks saga rauða it is one of the two main literary sources of information for the Norse exploration of North America. It relates the colonization of Greenland by Erik the Red and his followers...
After expeditions to Vinland led by Leifr Eiríksson, Þorvaldr Eiríksson and Þorfinnr Karlsefni met with some success Freydís wants the prestige and wealth associated with a Vinland journey. She makes a deal with two Icelandic men, Helgi and Finnbogi, that they should go together to Vinland and share all profits half-and-half. They agree to bring the same number of men but Freydís secretly takes more.In Vinland, Freydís betrays her partners, has them and their men attacked when sleeping and killed. She personally executes the five women in their group since no-one else would do the deed. Freydís wants to conceal her treachery and threatens death to anyone who tells of the killings. She goes back to Greenland after a year's stay and tells the story that Helgi and Finnbogi
Helgi and Finnbogi
Helgi and Finnbogi were two merchant brothers from Iceland, born in the late tenth century AD.-Biography:The Saga of the Greenlanders describes them as coming to Greenland one summer. There they negotiated a deal with Freydis Eiriksdottir, agreeing to share the profits of a voyage to...
had chosen to remain in Vinland.
But not everyone is silent and word of the killings eventually reaches the ears of Leifr. He has three men from Freydís's expedition tortured until they confess the whole occurrence. Thinking ill of the deeds he still does not want "to do that to Freydis, my sister, which she has deserved".