Tyrker

Tyrker (or Tyrkir) is a character mentioned in the

Leif Ericson, which may indicate he was a freed thrall

, who once had the responsibility of looking after and rearing the young Leif.

Leif and his company wintered in the New World after building Leifsbudir (Leif’s dwellings), perhaps somewhere in Newfoundland or the adjacent area. According to the saga, he divided his men into two parties, which took turns in exploring the surrounding area. He cautioned his followers to keep together and return to sleep at their quarters. One evening Tyrker did not return with his party. Greatly distraught, Leif, at the head of twelve men, went in search of him, and he had not gone far when he discovered the old thrall, greatly excited, gesticulating wildly, and evidently drunk. “Why, my fosterer,” cried Leif, “have you come so late? What made you leave your companions!” Tyrker answered in his own language, but when remembering that the Norsemen could not understand him, he spoke, after some time, in their tongue: “I have not gone very far; still I have some news for you. I have discovered vines loaded with grapes.” “Are you telling the truth, my foster-father?” exclaimed Leif. “I am sure of telling the truth,” Tyrker said, “for in my native land there are vines in plenty.” This caused Leif to give the country the name of Vinland.

Tyrker's origin is debated among historians, with evidence presented for German, Hungarian, Slavic or even Turkish backgrounds.

crowberry

. In the Newfoundland/Labrador area,

squashberry, gooseberry, and cranberry

all grow wild, and may serve as an explanations for Leif's discovery of "wine-berries".

Remains of a Norse settlement from the period in question has been found at L'Anse aux Meadows, Newfoundland, Canada.

References

Richard Cleasby; Guðbrandur Vigfússon (1884). An Icelandic-English Dictionary. Oxford: Clarendon Press.

Wilson, J. G.; Fiske, J., eds. (1889). "Tyrker" . Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography. New York: D. Appleton. which in turn cites:
- Adam of Bremen, Historia Ecclesiastica

OCLC 558181432
. Retrieved 2023-07-22.

^ Greene, Victor R (1987). The Attitude of Slavic Communities to the Unionization of the Anthracite Industry Before 1903. University of Pennsylvania.

^ suðr-maðr = m. a southerner, esp. a Saxon, German, as opp. to a Northman, Magn. 528, Fms. viii. 248, xi. 303, 354, Fb. i. 540, Karl. 288, 355, passim.
Þýzkr = Þýðverskr, only in late vellums; Þýzkan söðul, Fms. xi. 443.
Þýðverskr, adj., [...] = German; Þýðerskir menn (Þýðverskir, Þýverskir, Þýðskir, v.l.), Fms. viii. 248; Vindum ok Þýðeskum mönnum, x. 45, v.l.; Þýðerska menn, 47; en Þýðeskir menn segja, Fas. i. 332; Þýverskir, Fb. i. 355. l.c.; Þýveskr, Ann. 1342 C; svá segir í kvœðum Þýðærskum, Þiðr. 304; frá sögn Þýðærskra manna, 334; Þýðeskum kvæðum, 231, 330, 352; Þýðeskra manna sögur, 180; í Þýðersk tunga, 1, 302, 304.
Richard Cleasby; Guðbrandur Vigfússon (1884). An Icelandic-English Dictionary. Oxford: Clarendon Press.

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tyrker&oldid=1166576173"

[1] OCLC 558181432
. Retrieved 2023-07-22.

[2] Greene, Victor R (1987). The Attitude of Slavic Communities to the Unionization of the Anthracite Industry Before 1903. University of Pennsylvania.

[3] suðr-maðr = m. a southerner, esp. a Saxon, German, as opp. to a Northman, Magn. 528, Fms. viii. 248, xi. 303, 354, Fb. i. 540, Karl. 288, 355, passim.
Þýzkr = Þýðverskr, only in late vellums; Þýzkan söðul, Fms. xi. 443.
Þýðverskr, adj., [...] = German; Þýðerskir menn (Þýðverskir, Þýverskir, Þýðskir, v.l.), Fms. viii. 248; Vindum ok Þýðeskum mönnum, x. 45, v.l.; Þýðerska menn, 47; en Þýðeskir menn segja, Fas. i. 332; Þýverskir, Fb. i. 355. l.c.; Þýveskr, Ann. 1342 C; svá segir í kvœðum Þýðærskum, Þiðr. 304; frá sögn Þýðærskra manna, 334; Þýðeskum kvæðum, 231, 330, 352; Þýðeskra manna sögur, 180; í Þýðersk tunga, 1, 302, 304.
Richard Cleasby; Guðbrandur Vigfússon (1884). An Icelandic-English Dictionary. Oxford: Clarendon Press.