Medieval settlement of Bear Island

Who would most likely Bear Island's settlers come from

  • Norse (North Germanic)

    Votes: 13 76.5%
  • Sami or other Finnic people

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Inuits

    Votes: 4 23.5%
  • Russians people

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Samoyedic people

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    17
Bear Island is situated between mainland Norway and Svalbard.
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What could lead to the settlement of Bear Island in the medieval period? Why would Bear Island be settled?

What would be the most likely source for Bear Island's settlers?

How many people could live on Bear Island sustainably?

What kind of role could Bear Island play in the human trade networks?

Where om the island would settlements be created?
 
"Miseryfjellet", "Misery Mountain", couldn't be because the place has a climate completely unconducive for agriculture, almost no sun (cloudiest place in Europe), and constant fog?

Only plausible way to get Bear Island settled in the medieval period is by more expansionist Inuit with better boats that could cross the stormy North Atlantic south of the ice cap. They'll probably also settle Jan Mayen, Svalbard, and Iceland too, the latter two of which are far nicer. The Bear Island Inuit will never number more than a couple hundred at most, and because of the distances and awful seas, generally be out of contact with their Inuit kin.

They won't last long either, since sealers and whalers from Europe will come through by the early 17th century and decimate the population with disease and violence committed against the natives.
 
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