Gunnbjörn Ulfsson

Gunnbjörn Ulfsson, also Gunnbjörn Ulf- Krakuson, Norwegians, and was the first known European to have seen the North American continent.

Ulfsson was blown off course during a sailing trip from Norway to Iceland. He and his team saw several islands lying off the coast of Greenland. You did not go there, but on land, but sailed for Iceland on. Greenland is geologically and culturally attributed to North America, it this was so the first sighting of the American continent by European explorers.

The timing of this discovery is not exactly demonstrated in the Icelandic sagas. Different sources estimate of a time 876-932, but are probably only estimates. The most probable date is considered the beginning of the 10th century.

Only about 978 sailed Snaebjörn Galti to the islands described by Ulfsson. Shortly thereafter, he was succeeded by Erik the Red, who also explored Greenland, the main island and founded a settlement. Both were based on the descriptions Gunnbjörns their voyages of discovery in the West.

In honor of Gunnbjörns the highest mountain in Greenland, which is named Gunnbjørn Fjeld ( 3753 m).