Bjarni Herjólfsson

Lore & Background

Bjarni was born in Iceland to Herjólfr and Thorgerdr. He became a merchant captain based in Norway, visiting his father in Iceland each summer. One year he sailed to Iceland only to find his father had gone with Erik the Red to Greenland. Bjarni set off to find him. In the summer of 986, without a map or compass, a storm blew him off course. He saw a land that was not Greenland—covered with trees and mountains. Though his crew begged him, he refused to stop and explore. He later reported low-lying hills covered with forests farther west. Eager to reach his parents, he did not land. He eventually arrived in Greenland and settled with his father at Herjolfsnes. He reported his findings, but no one showed much interest until after his father's death, when Bjarni returned to Norway.

Reader's Guide

Bjarni Herjólfsson's sighting of the American coastline in 986, though he did not land, is considered the first known European encounter with the mainland of the Americas. His report of wooded lands created intrigue throughout the Nordic Empire, especially among Greenlanders who lacked timber. Professor Tryggvi J. Oleson suggested the three lands Bjarni saw were likely Newfoundland, Labrador, and Baffin Island. Bjarni was both celebrated and criticized—famously by Earl Eric—for not investigating further. His voyage directly inspired Leif Erikson, who bought Bjarni's ship, hired a crew, and retraced the journey, leading to the Viking settlement at L'Anse aux Meadows in Newfoundland. This represents the first known European attempt at settlement in the Americas. Bjarni's legacy thus lies not in his own exploration but in sparking the expeditions that followed.

Did You Know?

• Bjarni Herjólfsson sighted the American mainland in 986 after being blown off course by a storm.
• He refused to land despite his crew's pleas, because he was eager to reach his parents in Greenland.
• Leif Erikson later bought Bjarni's ship and retraced his journey, leading to the settlement at L'Anse aux Meadows.
• Professor Tryggvi J. Oleson argued that the three lands Bjarni saw were likely Newfoundland, Labrador, and Baffin Island.