If you are interested in listening to the full podcast, listen here: open.spotify.com/episode/4Xy0...

Vinland’s Lost Future is a reminder that tiny moments can rock entire continents. From epic alliances to cultural crossovers, the Norse stepping ashore in Vinland was a spark that almost lit a brand-new historical blaze. 10/10

So why did they pull back? The sagas mention clashes with the Skrælings, punishing winters, and a lack of reinforcements. A few different decisions—like forging better alliances or establishing larger colonies—and we might be reading a very different American history today.
9/10

With endless forests, these Vinland Norse could’ve built formidable fleets. Fast-forward a few centuries, and the Atlantic “supply line” might run west to east, with a naval presence that challenges Europe’s powers long before the Age of Exploration officially began. 8/10

Religion added another layer. The Vikings were torn between old Norse gods and Christianity. Meanwhile, Indigenous groups had rich spiritual traditions of their own. A three-way fusion of rituals and beliefs? Imagine a stave church side-by-side with local sacred sites. 7/10

Disease was a wild card. Future Europeans brought smallpox that devastated Indigenous peoples. If the Norse had stayed, local populations might have faced epidemics earlier. Some could’ve built immunity, flipping later colonial invasions on their heads. 6/10

In our alternate timeline, Vikings and natives join forces. Think Norse metalworking meets First Nations canoes, forging a robust trade network from Greenland to Newfoundland. Metal tools, advanced shipbuilding, shared hunting know-how…that’s a powerhouse combo right there. 5/10

But they weren’t alone. Indigenous peoples—called “Skrælings” by the Norse—were there first. Early encounters involved trade, but mistrust and violence soon crept in. One stray arrow could turn collaboration into catastrophe, forcing the Vikings to weigh fight vs. flight. 4/10

Archaeologists confirmed Norse turf longhouses at L’Anse aux Meadows in Newfoundland. They found traces of iron-working and evidence that these explorers roamed beyond their immediate camp, hunting for timber and resources in a land they nicknamed “Vinland.” 3/10

Vikings weren’t just plunder-hungry raiders—they built real settlements. Erik the Red famously got kicked out of Norway, then Iceland, then ended up in Greenland. His son, Leif Erikson, sailed even further west, landing in what’s now Canada—centuries before Columbus. 2/10

Some sort of indigenous interaction has been classified as “plausible”, we are discussing it in our new podcast on this subject: open.spotify.com/episode/4Xy0...

Thanks Shaun, much appreciated!

Thanks Shaun, let me know what you think! I think it’s definitely on the rise with a lot of potential.

Highlighting this key event in my latest podcast on the rise and decline of cricket in the US. Listen here: open.spotify.com/episode/0nyI...

Highlighting this key event in my latest podcast on the rise and decline of cricket in the US. Listen here: open.spotify.com/episode/0nyI...

Highlighting this key event in my latest podcast on the rise and decline of cricket in the US. Listen here: open.spotify.com/episode/0nyI...

Highlighting this key event in my latest podcast on the rise and decline of cricket in the US. Listen here: open.spotify.com/episode/0nyI...

open.spotify.com/episode/7nFf...