Guðríður Þorbjarnardóttirs story can be read in The Far Traveler - Voyages of a Viking Woman, by Nancy Marie Brown. Sold in our store in Snorrastofa. Our store in Snorrastofa Reykholt offer a wide range of books and CD's - We welcome you to visit any time!
Guðríður Þorbjarnardóttir was a young girl born in Snæfellsnes in the West of Iceland, most of you have certainly heard about Snæfellsjökull! Her story is really amazing! She was the first European woman to give birth to a child in America short after year 1000. When she was a young girl in Snæfellsnes a man had asked for her hand in marriage, this man was not found suitable by her father, so he decided to move from Snæfellsnes to Greenland, following his old friend Eiríkur the Red. Guðríður married Leif Eirikson's ( The Lucky's) younger brother þorsteinn.
Guðríður and Þorsteinn tried to sail to Vinland, but they didn't make it, and Þorsteinn died at sea. Later Guðríður married Þorfinnur Karlsefni from Iceland and went with him to Vinland, they stayed there for 3 years. Guðríður and Þorfinnur lived the rest of their lives in Skagafjörður Iceland, and after Guðríður had become widow for the second time, she went on a pilgrim journey to Rome…. the rest of Guðríður's exciting story you have to read in Nancys book!
My name is Sigrun Guttormsdóttir Þormar. I live inBorgarfjord west Iceland, where I work as a project leader at the cultural medieval center Snorrastofa in Reykholt. For those that don't know, Reykholt was the home of Snorri Sturluson, medieval writer and poet whom lived in Reykholt from 1206 to 1241. He was the author of the Edda, Heimskringla (History of the kings of Norway) and Egils Saga Skallagrimsson. For me Snorri is the most amazing employer whom I proudly serve and constantly present in my every day life! He is absolutely still going strong at 835 years of age. Please come and visit us at www.snorrastofa.is. We are open all weekdays during the winter and all days during summer. We have an exhibition about Snorri Sturluson and offer lectures for groups. Hope to see you soon :)
