Erik the Red's Land

About Erik the Red's Land

'Erik the Red's Land' (Norwegian: ''Eirik Raudes Land'') was the name given by Norwegians to an area on East Greenland coast occupied by Norway in the early 1930s. It was named after Erik the Red, a viking conqueror and founder of the first Norse settlements in Greenland in the 10th century. The Permanent Court of International Justice ruled against Norway in 1933 and they subsequently abandoned their claims.

Contents
History
The Norwegian annexation
The Court verdict
Governor of Erik the Red's Land
External links

History


Main articles: History of Greenland

The first discovery of Greenland by Europeans was about the year 900 A.D., and the island was colonized about a century later by Norse settlers, being in fact the first European colonisation of the Americas in history. The best known and probably among the first was Eric the Red, who was an inhabitant of Iceland of Norwegian origin. The Norse settlements were Eystribygð at the south and Vestribygð at the south-west coast of Greenland. At its peak Vestribygð is believed to have less than 1000 inhabitants, whereas the greater Eystribygð had a population of about 4000. Independently the Inuit people came via the now Canadian Arctic Archipelago during this period and founded settlements along the western coast of the island.
After being an autonomous region for more than two centuries, the Greenlanders accepted the overlordship of Haakon IV of Norway in 1261. Greenland followed Norway (together with Iceland, Faroes, Shetland and Orkneys) into the union with Denmark in 1380 and Sweden in 1397 (Kalmar Union), which later became the Union with Denmark in 1536. After initially thriving, the Norse settlements declined in the 14th century. The Western Settlement was abandoned around 1350. After 1408, when a marriage was recorded, no written records mention the settlers. It is probable that the Eastern Settlement was defunct by the late 15th century although no exact date has been established. Being more adapted to the climate, the Inuit people managed to sustain their settlements.
For more than three centuries, there are no records of contact between Greenland and Norwegians, but the Danish-Norwegian king continued to claim lordship over the island. In 1721 a joint merchant-clerical expedition led by Norwegian missionary Hans Egede was sent to Greenland, which was the beginning of a recolonization by Denmark-Norway. When, after the Napoleonic wars, the Kingdom of Norway was transferred to the King of Sweden with the Treaty of Kiel, the possessions of Greenland, Faroes and Iceland were explicitly excluded.

The Norwegian annexation


The early Norwegian hunting and telegraphstation in Myggebugten, Eirik Raudes Land
According to the royal Norwegian proclamation of July 10, 1931, Norway took possession of which "is officially confirmed" and which is "placed under Norwegian sovereignty" is "situated between Carlsberg Fjord on the South and Bessel Fjord on the North, in Eastern Greenland" and extends from latitude 71°30' to 75°40'N. Although not explicitly stated by the proclamation itself, it is assumed that the occupied land was limited to the eastern coast of Greenland so that the Inland Ice constituted the western limit of the area. The Inland Ice covers five sixths of Greenland's total area, so that only a narrow strip of varying width along the coast is free of permanent ice.
Norway occupied and claimed parts of (still) uninhabited Eastern Greenland in the 1920s, claiming that it constituted Terra nullius. It was for the most part used by Norwegian whalers and trappers. The area was annexed by Norway in 1932. Norway and Denmark agreed to settle the matter at the Permanent Court of International Justice in 1933, where Norway lost. The Norwegian claim was abandoned after this ruling.

The Court verdict


The International Court at the Hague awarded the disputed territory to Denmark. The decision was accepted by both countries.

Governor of Erik the Red's Land



★ Helge Ingstad (1932-1933)

External links



★ Worldcourts.com - The legal status of Eastern Greenland

★ Erik the Red's Land: the land that never was

★ Aftenposten article (Norwegian)

★ Karmøybladet article (Norwegian)

This article provided by Wikipedia. To edit the contents of this article, click here for original source.
Deals to Erik the Red's Land
more deals >
Travel Articles
Discover Ethiopia: Top 10 Attractions and SightsDiscover Ethiopia: Top 10 Attractions and Sights
Harley Davidson Sightseeing Tours in Melbourne AustraliaHarley Davidson Sightseeing Tours in Melbourne Australia
The 5 Coolest Places in the World & on EarthThe 5 Coolest Places in the World & on Earth
Austria Offers New Wine in the Old WorldAustria Offers New Wine in the Old World
Canadian Tour Revives Historic Saskatchewan Open at Dakota DunesCanadian Tour Revives Historic Saskatchewan Open at Dakota Dunes
Forget Bora Bora: Have a Real Honeymoon in Tikehau, French PolyForget Bora Bora: Have a Real Honeymoon in Tikehau, French Poly
discover more >
Recent Blogs
discover more >
Did you know?
  • Lake Baikal located in Siberia, Russia is 1,741 meters deep and is the deepest lake in the world.
  • Monaco is the 2nd smallest country in the world, has a pop of 32,000 people, and is 0.7 square miles - it is 0.5 square miles larger than Vatican City, the smallest country, that has a pop of just under 800.
  • The world's only fresh water sharks are found in Lake Nicaragua, the 20th largest lake in the world.
Travel News
discover more >
TripAtlas.com Dashboard Widget