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History of Greenland Timeline
(c. 2500 BCE – Present)The history of Greenland spans thousands of years, beginning with Paleo-Eskimo migrations around 2500 BCE. Norse Vikings led by Erik the Red settled the island around 985 CE, while successive Inuit cultures, including the Thule people, arrived later. Denmark-Norway claimed Greenland in the early 18th century, establishing colonial rule that lasted centuries. In the 20th century, Greenland became a Danish province, gained home rule in 1979, and achieved greater self-government in 2009. Today, Greenland is an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark with a growing movement toward full independence. More Less
Early Exploration and Norse Settlement
Dorset culture arrives in Greenland
800 BC
The Dorset culture spread into Greenland around 800 BC, succeeding the Saqqaq people. Their distinctive art and tools have been found at sites across Greenland, though they eventually vanished before the Thule people arrived.
Image source: Dorset culture
Norse explorer Erik the Red settles Greenland
985
Exiled from Iceland for manslaughter, Erik the Red sailed west and established the first Norse settlements in southern Greenland around 985. He named the land 'Greenland' partly to attract settlers, and colonies soon flourished at Brattahlíð.
Image source: Erik the Red
Norse Western Settlement established
1000
The Norse expanded northward to establish the Western Settlement near modern Nuuk. At their height, Norse Greenlanders numbered several thousand, farming sheep and cattle while trading walrus ivory with Europe.
Image source: Western Settlement
Leif Erikson sails from Greenland to Vinland
1000
Leif Erikson, son of Erik the Red, departed from Greenland and became the first European known to reach North America, landing in a place he called Vinland, roughly five centuries before Columbus.
Image source: Leif Erikson
Thule people arrive in Greenland
1200
The ancestors of today's Inuit, the Thule people, migrated from Alaska across Arctic Canada and reached Greenland around 1200. Skilled whalers using kayaks and umiaks, they spread rapidly across the island's coasts.
Image source: Thule people
Greenland accepts Norwegian rule
1261
In 1261, the Norse Greenlanders swore allegiance to the Norwegian king, formally bringing Greenland under the Norwegian crown and integrating its trade into the expanding Norwegian kingdom.
Image source: Greenland crisis
Abandonment of the Norse Western Settlement
1350
By around 1350, the Western Settlement was abandoned, likely due to a cooling climate, declining trade, and pressure from Inuit groups. A ship sent to investigate found only empty farms and livestock.
Last written record of Norse Eastern Settlement
1408
A wedding recorded at Hvalsey Church in September 1408 is the last known written account of the Norse in Greenland. The Eastern Settlement disappeared sometime in the 15th century as the Little Ice Age made farming untenable.
Image source: History of Greenland
Danish Colonial Era
John Davis explores Greenland's coast
1585
English navigator John Davis made voyages to Greenland in 1585–1587 searching for the Northwest Passage, charting the strait now called Davis Strait and re-establishing European contact with Greenland after centuries.
Image source: John Davis (explorer)
Denmark-Norway claims sovereignty over Greenland
1721
Missionary Hans Egede arrived in Greenland in 1721 seeking descendants of the lost Norse colonists. Instead he found the Inuit, and his mission marked the beginning of Danish colonial rule that would last for centuries.
Image source: Danish colonization of the Americas
Key Facts
- Paleo-Eskimo peoples, beginning with the Saqqaq culture around 2500 BCE, were the first known inhabitants of Greenland.
- Erik the Red, exiled from Iceland, established the first Norse settlements in Greenland around 985 CE.
- The Thule culture, ancestors of today's Inuit, arrived in Greenland around 1200 CE and eventually replaced the vanished Norse settlements by the 15th century.
- Denmark-Norway formally colonized Greenland in 1721 when missionary Hans Egede arrived, beginning over 300 years of Danish rule.
- Greenland gained home rule from Denmark in 1979 and expanded self-governance in 2009, though it remains part of the Kingdom of Denmark.
Source
This History of Greenland timeline was generated with the help of AI, using information found on the internet.
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