Centuries before Columbus, a group of adventurous Vikings actually made it to North America… and immediately started killing people and complaining about the food. Around the year 1000, Leif Erikson and his band of Norse explorers landed in what’s now Newfoundland, set up a tiny settlement called Vinland, and then did what Vikings do best—pick fights, steal stuff, and leave in a huff.

Comedians Robert Bacon and Mike Kauffman dig into the chaotic true story of how the Vikings became the first Europeans to “discover” America—and how their legendary voyage ended in disaster. From miscommunication with the Indigenous peoples to a colonization plan that lasted about as long as a Nordic summer, this episode explores the mixture of bravery, stupidity, and bad timing that defined the Viking Age.It’s history’s shortest empire, fueled by mead, ego, and Mistakes Were Made.

Keywords:
Vikings discovered America podcast, Leif Erikson history, Vinland Vikings, Norse exploration, Mistakes Were Made podcast, comedy history podcast, Viking history funny, Norse America, first Europeans in America, Viking colonization, historical blunders, weird history podcast.