Thorfinn Karlsefni (Vikings in the New World)

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First King of Vinland –– Successor: Snorri I >

He followed Leif Erikson's lead and established the first permanent settlement in Vinland. He became the monarch of the settlement until his death in 1025.

Thorfinn was the first person to settle in Vinland. He went with 60 men and 5 women with hopes of creating a city. Throughout the next three years they fished, collected grapes, and traded peacefully with the natives. It was fine until they gave the natives rancid milk and when they started to get violent. This was the beginning of the Wars of Foundation.

After he fought off the natives, 32 people had died. It was almost half of the population of the settlement. When Norway approached him in 1021 and forced them to become a colony, he couldn't refuse, for he couldn't lose any more.

While in Vinland, he had a son with his wife Gudrid, and named him Snorri. Many people consider Snorri the first person to be born in Vinland, and many can trace their roots back to him. Snorri took over rule of Vinland after Thorfinn's death in 1025, and has since been known as Snorri I.