Cnut was a viking, who managed to rise in power to become the king of an empire, ruling over England, Norway, Denmark and Sweden. Coming from a powerful family, his father was Svein Forkbeard, his great grandfather being King Gorm.1013 was Cnuts first recorded battle, he returned to England with his father, this time to conquer the country.Together they overtook England, and Cnuts father rose from an accomplished warrior, to the king of the vikings. However Cnuts father died the next year, and the old king, Aethelred saw this as a chance to recapture his title. In 1016, Cnut was successful in defeating parts of the old king's army, and composed a treaty with Aethelreds oldest son and successor, Edmund, stating he would control the South of…show more content… Around 1000 A.D. he completed a voyage to Norway, Where King Olaf I converted him to Christianity. It is also widely believed Erikson was the first person to sail to the Americas, centuries before Columbus, landing in North America and naming it Vinland. He stayed there for one winter, before leaving and never returning to Vinland again. Lief was the second of his fathers three sons, who is believed to have grown up in Greenland, after his father was expelled and set up the colony in Greenland. It is believed that in 1000 he sailed from Greenland to Norway, where it is said he stopped and had a son named Thorgils, with a chief's daughter, Thorgunna. It was in Norway he was converted to christianity, and returned to Greenland and began converting others bach there to follow the beliefs of Christianity. There are many different accounts on his discovery of Vinland, One source states he discovered the continent when his ship was blown of course whilst sailing to Greenland. However many historians have agreed upon one source which states, Lief heard of the continent through an Icelandic trader, who saw the country 14 years prior but didn't land. He only stayed in Vinland one winter, before leaving and never returning. He then returned to Greenland, where when Erik the red died, Lief took command over the population there. Another illegitimate son then took over after his death, after his first son Thorgils proved to be disliked by the population, and unpopular with the vikings. Not much else is known about his descendants. However his influence lives on, and 9th October is celebrated as Erikson day in America, in order to honour his discovery of what he called,
