Kristian Kristiansen (explorer)
{{expand Norwegian|topic=bio|Kristian Kristiansen (grønlandsfarer)|date=December 2011}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Kristian Kristiansen
| image = Kristian Kristiansen Trana, norvegian polar explorer.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Kristian Kristiansen (1890)
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date|1865|02|16|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Steinkjer, Norway
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|1943|6|30|1865|02|16}}
| death_place = Steinkjer, Norway
| nationality = Norwegian
| other_names =
| known_for = Greenland expedition 1888
| occupation =
}}
Kristian Kristiansen (16 February 1865 - 30 June 1943) was a Norwegian explorer who participated in the Greenland expedition of 1888 arranged by Fridtjof Nansen. This was the first documented crossing of Greenland.{{cite web|url=http://www.steinkjerleksikonet.no/index.php?artikkel=410|title=Kristiansen, Kristian|publisher= steinkjerleksikonet.no |accessdate= 1 May 2017}}{{cite web|url=http://frammuseum.no/polar-historie/explorers/kristian-kristiansen-1865-1943/ |title=Kristian Kristiansen (1865-1943)|website=Fram Museum |access-date=1 December 2020}}{{cite web|url=http://frammuseum.no/polar-historie/expeditions/polar-history-expeditions-accross-the-greenland-ice-1888-1889/|title= The First Crossing of Greenland (1888-1889) |website= Fram Museum |access-date=1 December 2020}}
Biography
Kristian Kristiansen was born on the Trana farm in the parish of Ogndal in the present-day Steinkjer Municipality in Trøndelag, Norway. He first became acquainted with Otto Sverdrup after Sverdrup's father Ulrik bought the Trana farm in 1874. Kristiansen achieved notoriety as a cross-country skier when he, as a 13-year-old, came second in a competition for 16-year-olds.{{cite book |author=Per Egil Hegge |author-link=Per Egil Hegge |year=1996 |title=Otto Sverdrup: aldri rådløs |publisher=Stenersens forlag |page=34 |isbn=9788272011986}}{{cite web|url=http://www.dokpro.uio.no/cgi-bin/stad/matr50 |title= Trana øvre. Ogndal herad. Nord-Trøndelag |publisher= Matrikkelutkastet av 1950|accessdate= 1 May 2017}}
In 1888 both Otto Sverdrup and Kristian Kristiansen were selected by Fridtjof Nansen to attend the expedition across Greenland. Nansen took him on the recommendation of Sverdrup. The other participants were Oluf Christian Dietrichson, Samuel Balto and Ole Nilsen Ravna.{{cite book |first=Fridtjof |last=Nansen |author-link=Fridtjof Nansen |year=1961 |origyear=1890 |title=På ski over Grønland| page=12 |publisher=H. Aschehoug & Co |location=Oslo }}{{cite web|url= http://www.polarhistorie.no/personer/Dietrichson%2C%20O.C|title= O.C. Dietrichson|publisher= Norsk Polar Historie |accessdate= 1 May 2017}}{{cite web|url= http://www.polarhistorie.no/personer/Sverdrup%2C%20Otto|title=Otto Sverdrup|publisher= Norsk Polar Historie|accessdate= 1 May 2017}}{{cite web|url= http://www.polarhistorie.no/personer/Balto,%20Samuel|title= Samuel Balto|publisher= Norsk Polar Historie|accessdate= 1 May 2017}}{{cite web|url= http://www.polarhistorie.no/personer/Ravna,%20Ole%20Nilsen|title= Ole N. Ravna|publisher= Norsk Polar Historie|accessdate= 1 May 2017}}
Returning to Norway in 1889 was a tribute journey. Kristiansen received medals of merit from Norway, Sweden and Denmark. During the remainder of his life, Kristiansen lived and worked principally at Sneppen in the city center of Steinkjer. He spent most of his career employed by the steamship company, Indherreds Aktie-Dampskibsselskab, which was headquartered in Steinkjer.{{cite web|url= http://www.steinkjerleksikonet.no/index.php?artikkel=1065|title= Indherreds Aktie-Dampskibsselskab|publisher= steinkjerleksikonet.no|accessdate= 1 May 2017}}{{cite web|url=https://lokalhistoriewiki.no/index.php/Indherreds_Aktie-Dampskibsselskab|title= Indherreds Aktie-Dampskibsselskab|publisher= lokalhistoriewiki.no|accessdate= 1 May 2017}}
References
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