This thread will be about some of the lies of history
I start with this one
Christopher Columbus was certainly not the first to discover America! Indeed, many people made the trip before him, preceding it about half a millennium ...
In the IXth century AD, the Vikings (a people living between Denmark, Norway and present-day Sweden) launched themselves into the assault of many countries in Europe. Taking advantage of the weakness of the royal power in France, since the death of Charlemagne, they invaded Normandy; penetrated into England; attacked the coasts of Spain and Russia, and sailed as far as Sicily.
Thereafter, the Vikings discovered Iceland, about the year 860. A few years later, the Icelandic Gunnbjorn Ulfsson discovered that there was land, to the northwest of the island.
In 980, the navigator Eirikr Thorvaldsson, nicknamed Erik the Red because he had red hair, was banished from Iceland, following a case of murder (he had already been banned from Norway). The latter decided to go and explore the unknown lands, which happened to be Greenland. He remained three years in this country, then returned to Iceland to search for settlers to occupy this new land. In 985, Erik was able to return to Greenland, accompanied by numerous settlers. After exploring the eastern part of the country, Erik decided to discover the western part. The two settlements (baptized Establishment of the East and Establishment of the West) established in the country were prosperous, and attracted thousands of Icelanders.
However, the impetuous Vikings could not help but continue exploring. Bjarni Herjulfsson, one of Erik's companions, realized in 986 that there was an unknown land in the southwest of Greenland.
It was on these indications that Leif Eriksson, the son of Erik the Red, decided to mount a new expedition, accompanied by about thirty men. Following the path indicated, the Vikings then discovered new territories. The first was christened Helluland (meaning 'land of flat stone'), because of the glaciers that were there. Leif decided not to settle in these inhospitable lands (probably in the northern part of Labrador, Canada), and went further south. He then passed by a country he called Markland, 'the land of forests' (southern Labrador). Finally, arriving near Newfoundland, Leif decided to land, and baptized the country Vinland (indeed, the Vikings found many vines in this region).
Map of the fifteenth century, drawn from an original of the XIII ° century.
Subsequently, other expeditions took place, but they did not bear fruit. The Vikings, attacked by the natives, whom they called Skraelings (meaning 'lean and skeletal'), could not continue to colonize the region.
For a long time it was thought that Leif's journey to North America was only a legend. Indeed, the adventure had inspired many sagas, which were evidently too fictional.
Then, during the 19th century, the remains of Scandinavian-type dwellings were discovered in Greenland during archaeological excavations. Subsequently, during the 20th century, the same type of dwelling was discovered at Anse aux Meadows (the northern tip of the island of Newfoundland).
However, did the Vikings stop in Newfoundland, or did they go further south? Moreover, one might even wonder why they would not have attempted the journey, when one knows the adventurous spirit of this people. Are they at the origin of the myth of Quetzalcoalt, the 'bearded white god', which permeated the pre-Columbian peoples, and whose return was to cause their loss? Today, no archaeological excavation can support the hypothesis of a journey to the South.
http://www.histoire-fr.com
I start with this one
Christopher Columbus was certainly not the first to discover America! Indeed, many people made the trip before him, preceding it about half a millennium ...
In the IXth century AD, the Vikings (a people living between Denmark, Norway and present-day Sweden) launched themselves into the assault of many countries in Europe. Taking advantage of the weakness of the royal power in France, since the death of Charlemagne, they invaded Normandy; penetrated into England; attacked the coasts of Spain and Russia, and sailed as far as Sicily.
Thereafter, the Vikings discovered Iceland, about the year 860. A few years later, the Icelandic Gunnbjorn Ulfsson discovered that there was land, to the northwest of the island.
In 980, the navigator Eirikr Thorvaldsson, nicknamed Erik the Red because he had red hair, was banished from Iceland, following a case of murder (he had already been banned from Norway). The latter decided to go and explore the unknown lands, which happened to be Greenland. He remained three years in this country, then returned to Iceland to search for settlers to occupy this new land. In 985, Erik was able to return to Greenland, accompanied by numerous settlers. After exploring the eastern part of the country, Erik decided to discover the western part. The two settlements (baptized Establishment of the East and Establishment of the West) established in the country were prosperous, and attracted thousands of Icelanders.
However, the impetuous Vikings could not help but continue exploring. Bjarni Herjulfsson, one of Erik's companions, realized in 986 that there was an unknown land in the southwest of Greenland.
It was on these indications that Leif Eriksson, the son of Erik the Red, decided to mount a new expedition, accompanied by about thirty men. Following the path indicated, the Vikings then discovered new territories. The first was christened Helluland (meaning 'land of flat stone'), because of the glaciers that were there. Leif decided not to settle in these inhospitable lands (probably in the northern part of Labrador, Canada), and went further south. He then passed by a country he called Markland, 'the land of forests' (southern Labrador). Finally, arriving near Newfoundland, Leif decided to land, and baptized the country Vinland (indeed, the Vikings found many vines in this region).
Map of the fifteenth century, drawn from an original of the XIII ° century.
Subsequently, other expeditions took place, but they did not bear fruit. The Vikings, attacked by the natives, whom they called Skraelings (meaning 'lean and skeletal'), could not continue to colonize the region.
For a long time it was thought that Leif's journey to North America was only a legend. Indeed, the adventure had inspired many sagas, which were evidently too fictional.
Then, during the 19th century, the remains of Scandinavian-type dwellings were discovered in Greenland during archaeological excavations. Subsequently, during the 20th century, the same type of dwelling was discovered at Anse aux Meadows (the northern tip of the island of Newfoundland).
However, did the Vikings stop in Newfoundland, or did they go further south? Moreover, one might even wonder why they would not have attempted the journey, when one knows the adventurous spirit of this people. Are they at the origin of the myth of Quetzalcoalt, the 'bearded white god', which permeated the pre-Columbian peoples, and whose return was to cause their loss? Today, no archaeological excavation can support the hypothesis of a journey to the South.
http://www.histoire-fr.com
