Eric the Red (also Erik Thorvaldson, Eirik Raude or Eirik Torvaldsson) had been a native of Norway and the founding father of the first European settlement in Greenland. Nicknamed for the colour of his hair, Eric was apparently exiled around 982 for killing two men. For 3 years he sailed around and explored the southern component of what he dubbed Greenland. In 986 he left Iceland with over 20 ships and around 400-500 people. He visited Greenland with 14 boats as well as estimated 350 colonizers. Although the settlement eventually disappeared, it opened the door to centuries of occasional explorations of the area and colonization attempts by northern Europeans. Eric the Red's son was Leif Ericsson, who started to become considered one of the first Europeans to sail to America.
Erik the Red's father was exiled from Norway for the crime of manslaughter. He sailed West from Norway with his family and settled in Hornstrandir in West Iceland.[3] The Icelanders later sentenced Erik to exile for 3 years due to several murders he committed around the year 982.[citation needed]
After marrying Thorild (also referred to as Thjordhild), he relocated to Haukadal (Hawksdale) where he built a farm. The initial confrontation happened when his slaves started a landslide on the neighboring farm belonging to Valthjof. Valthjof's friend, Eyiolf the Foul, killed the slaves. In return, Erik killed Eyiolf and Holmgang-Hrafn (Dueling-Raven). Eyiolf's kinsmen demanded his banishment from Haukadal.
Erik then relocated to the island of Öxney. He asked Thorgest to maintain his setstokkr, inherited ornamented beams of significant mystical value,[4] which his father had brought from Norway. As he had finished his new home, he returned to get them, nonetheless they "could not be obtained". Erik then left for Breidabolstad and took them. These include likely to are already Thorgest's setstokkr, although the sagas are unclear after all this.
Thorgest gave chase, and in the ensuing fight Erik slew both Thorgest's sons and "a few other men".
After this all of them retained a large body in men with him at his home. Styr gave Eric his support, as did also Eyiolf of Sviney, Thorbjiorn, Vifil's son, and the sons of Thorbrand of Alptafirth; while Thorgest was backed by the sons of Thord the Yeller, and Thorgeir of Hitardal, Aslak of Langadal brilliant son Illugi.[5]
The dispute was resolved at an assembly, the Thing, with the result that Erik was outlawed for three years.
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