Viking Woman Who Traveled the World: Gudrid Thorbjarnardottir

Gudrid Thorbjarnardottir married three times. Her first husband, Thórir, died in Greenland. Her second, Thorstein Eiriksson, was Leif’s brother. With her third, Karlsefni Thordarson, she reached Vinland and raised a son there.

Gudrid Thorbjarnardottir, the Viking woman who traveled the world, is often overshadowed by her more famous contemporaries, Eirik the Red and Leif Eriksson. The three were related by blood or marriage, but Gudrid may have been the greatest explorer of them all. In the sagas, she is given nearly three times the word count that Leif receives.

Gudrid, Leif, and Greenland

When Eirik the Red opened Greenland to Viking settlers, Gudrid Thorbjarnardottir left her farm in Iceland and traveled there with her Norwegian husband, Thórir. On the way, their ship was wrecked, and Gudrid survived on a barren island with 15 other people.

Sailing home from Vinland (North America), Leif Eiriksson spotted people stranded on a skerry and rescued all fifteen. The good luck of the rescue earned him his nickname, “Leif the Lucky.” Gudrid’s husband Thórir died of illness the following winter.

Gudrid Thorbjarnardottir Attempts Going to Vinland

If scholars are correct, the voyage to Greenland would have given Gudrid plenty of time to be regaled with tales of Vinland. She would have seen the bounty Leif and his crew brought back. Even if scholars are mistaken, Gudrid still would have heard about the new land and its riches. Eventually, she grew restless and longed to see the fertile lands farther west. She joined one, or possibly two, voyages to Vinland, depending on the version of the story. The second voyage, with her new husband Thorstein, Leif Eriksson’s younger brother, also ended in failure when he died of illness.

Gudrid, a Widow in Greenland

Gudrid returned to Greenland a widow, still eager to reach Vinland. She lived with her father-in-law, Eirik the Red. Karlsefni Thordarson arrived in Greenland with his crew of 80 to trade for walrus ivory. Eirik invited them to spend the winter at his homestead, the only one large enough to house them. During their stay, Karlsefni became acquainted with Gudrid and heard tales of fertile Vinland. Over a festive Christmas celebration, he proposed marriage, and Gudrid accepted. Christmas became their wedding day.

Gudrid Thorbjarnardottir Arrives in Vinland

On her third attempt, Gudrid finally reached Vinland. She and her husband Karlsefni arrived in North America with either 140 or 60 other Vikings (sources vary), including only five women, and brought livestock. They founded a settlement called “Hop.” Between 1006 and 1010, Gudrid gave birth to Snorri, the first child of European descent born in North America. The Vikings encountered Native Americans and began trading, but tensions soon escalated.

The sagas hint at Gudrid as a peacemaker. In one eerie scene, she is sitting by her sleeping baby when a pale woman in a black tunic comes in. “What is your name?” she asks. “My name is Gudrid,” Gudrid answers. “And yours?” “My name is Gudrid,” the stranger replies. Before they can say more, a Norseman kills a Native man who tried to take his weapons, and the visitor vanishes.

Tensions split the Viking camp into two groups. Gudrid and Karlsefni supported peace through trade, while the other group sought peace through domination. Fear prevailed, and the Vikings engaged in conflict with a better-organized force that knew the land and had ranged weapons.

When Snorri was three, Gudrid and Karlsefni decided to leave Vinland.

More Travels for Gudrid

After returning to Iceland, Gudrid lived there with Karlsefni until his death. As a widow, she journeyed south to Europe, reportedly traveling on foot as far as Rome. Eventually, Gudrid returned to her farm in Iceland, where her son had built a Christian church. There, she lived out her days as a nun. For the wider picture of what Norse women could own, run, and do, see Viking Women Celebration: Goublot.