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Leif Erikson

By: History.com Editors

Updated: October 10, 2019 | Original: April 22, 2010

Leif Erikson was the son of Erik the Red, founder of the first European settlement on what is now called Greenland. Born in Iceland around A.D. 970 , Erikson sailed to Norway around A.D. 1000, where King Olaf I converted him to Christianity. 

According to one school of thought, Erikson sailed off course on his way back to Greenland and landed on the North American continent, where he explored a region he called Vinland. He may also have sought out Vinland based on stories of an earlier voyage by an Icelandic trader. After spending the winter in Vinland, Leif sailed back to Greenland, and never returned to North American shores. He is generally believed to be the first European to reach the North American continent, nearly four centuries before Christopher Columbus arrived in 1492.

Leif Erikson’s Early Life and Conversion to Christianity

Leif Erikson (spelling variations include Eiriksson, Erikson or Ericson), known as “Leif the Lucky,” was the second of three sons of the famed Norse explorer Erik the Red , who established a settlement in Greenland after being expelled from Iceland around A.D. 980. The date of Leif Erikson’s birth is uncertain, but he is believed to have grown up in Greenland. 

According to the 13th-century Icelandic Eiriks saga (or “Saga of Erik the Red”), Erikson sailed from Greenland to Norway around 1000. On the way, he was believed to have stopped in the Hebrides, where he had a son, Thorgils, with Thorgunna, daughter of a local chief. In Norway, King Olaf I Tryggvason converted Erikson to Christianity , and a year later sent him back to Greenland with a commission to spread the faith among the settlers there.

Did you know? After Leif Erikson returned to Greenland, his brother Thorvald led another Viking expedition to Vinland, but all future efforts to settle in the region failed due to bitter clashes between the Norsemen and the local Native American population. Thorvald himself died in a skirmish somewhere north of the Viking base.

Erikson’s Voyage to Vinland

Historical accounts differ on the subsequent events. According to the Eiriks saga, Erikson sailed off course on his return to Greenland and landed in North America . He called the region where he landed Vinland after the wild grapes that grew in abundance there and the general fertility of the land. 

Another Icelandic saga, the Groenlendinga saga (or “Saga of the Greenlanders”), which scholars consider more reliable that the Eiriks saga, holds that Leif Erikson heard about Vinland from the Icelandic trader Bjarni Herjulfsson, who had sighted the North American continent from his ship 14 years before Leif’s voyage but not set foot on land.

In addition to uncertainty about the context of Erikson’s arrival in North America, the exact location of his landing is also in doubt. The Groenlendinga saga claims he made three landfalls at Helluland (possibly Labrador), Markland (possibly Newfoundland) and Vinland. The location of Vinland has been debated over the centuries, and has been identified as a variety of spots along the northern Atlantic coast. 

In the early 1960s, excavations at L’Anse aux Meadows, on the northernmost tip of Newfoundland, turned up evidence of what is generally believed to be the base camp of the 11th-century Viking exploration, though others believe that the region is too far north to correspond to the Vinland described in the Icelandic sagas.

Erikson’s Later Life in Greenland and Legacy

After his time in Vinland, Erikson returned to Greenland, and he would never return to North American shores. Though his father proved unreceptive to the Christian faith, Leif was able to convert his mother, Thjodhild, who had Greenland’s first Christian church built at Brattahild. 

When Erik the Red died, Leif Erikson took over as chief of the Greenland settlement. His son Thorgils was sent by his mother (whom Leif never married) to live in Greenland, but was apparently unpopular. Another (presumably legitimate) son, Thorkel Leifsson, became chief by 1025, after his father’s death. Nothing further is known about Leif’s descendants.

Beginning in the late 19th century, many Nordic Americans celebrated Leif Erikson as the first European explorer of the New World. In 1925, in honor of the 100th anniversary of the arrival of the first official group of Norwegian immigrants in the United States, President Calvin Coolidge announced to a Minnesota crowd that Erikson had been the first European to discover America. And in September 1964, Congress approved a public resolution that authorized President Lyndon B. Johnson to declare October 9 as “Leif Erikson Day.”

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Leif Erikson’s voyage to Vinland

Pat Kinsella follows the sagas and explores the exploits of the very first Europeans to visit America

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The second Monday of October is a federal public holiday in the United States. Known as Columbus Day, it marks the anniversary of Christopher Columbus’s arrival in the Americas in 1492 – an event that, without doubt, marked a turning point in the fortunes of the conjoined continents, north and south of where he landed.

But despite popular perceptions, the Italian explorer wasn’t the first European to set foot on American soil. Not by a long shot.

Almost five centuries before Columbus crashed into the Bahamas, a boatload of men had made landfall in North America. And while the Vikings ’ initial discovery of what would become known as the New World was almost certainly a fluke, within a short time Norse explorers led by Leif Erikson and his siblings were deliberately pointing their longboats at the fertile western land. By the early 1000s, a Viking colony was attempting to put down roots in the earthly Valhalla they called Vinland, a place of wine-grapes and wheat.

Leif was from a long line of adventurers, some of whose wanderings were not undertaken entirely voluntarily. His grandfather, Thorvald Asvaldsson, was banished from Norway for manslaughter, a punishment that prompted him to seek a new home for his young family. This he found in Iceland, a land originally discovered by his relative Naddodd. Some 22 years later, Thorvald’s son (and Leif’s father), Erik the Red, was in turn turfed out of Iceland for killing Eyiolf the Foul. During his exile, he found and settled Greenland.

How did this Viking vagabond find his way right across the angry Atlantic with no navigational aids, and what did he hope to find there?

So Leif had a lot to live up to, but sewing the seeds for the foundation of the first European settlement in the Americas isn’t a bad legacy – even if it went unnoticed by most of the world for the next millennium.

More like this

But how did this Viking vagabond find his way right across the angry Atlantic with no navigational aids, and what did he hope to find there? Was he even the first white man to set foot on American soil, or did some of his kinsmen get there earlier?

It’s never easy accurately tracing a tale that begins over a thousand years ago, but luckily the Vikings left a legacy of sagas – detailed written accounts of their heroes’ exploits.

However, in the case of Leif and the great American adventure, about two hundred years passed between the action happening and the events being transcribed into the written word. During this time, the stories would have been passed down orally across generations and around the societies of Greenland and Iceland (which became increasingly culturally separated from the Norse homeland of Norway) with inevitable distortions, exaggerations and elaborations being introduced.

The result is not one, but two separate accounts – the Grænlendinga saga ( Saga of the Greenlanders ) and the Eiríks saga rauða (Saga of Erik the Red). Collectively, they’re known as the Vinland Sagas , and contain differing versions about who did what and when. According to the Grænlendinga saga , the very first person to spot North American soil was a Viking merchant called Bjarni Herjólfsson , who was blown off course by a storm and became lost while attempting to follow his father’s route from Iceland to Greenland in around AD 986.

Hearing of his forebears' adventures, Leif had an urge to explore

Bjarni never made landfall on the strange new continent, and no-one seemed overly interested in his story for over a decade, until it reached the restless ears of young Leif Erikson. Enthused by the tale, Leif set off on an expedition to explore the mysterious western land, to be followed later by his brothers Thorvald and Thorstein, and his sister Freydis Eriksdottir , along with the Icelandic explorer Thorfinn Karlsefni.

However, in the Eiríks saga rauða , Leif has a lesser role, simply spotting the coast of North America in much the same way as Bjarni (blown off course and lost while returning from Norway), and it’s Thorfinn Karsefni who leads the main expedition to the area named in both books as Vinland.

The main players

Although both stories are heavily peppered with fantastic flourishes, historians have long believed they were originally spun with fact-based threads, a theory that was proved correct when a Viking-era settlement was discovered at L'Anse aux Meadows in Newfoundland, Canada, in the early 1960s by Norwegian explorer Helge Ingstad and his archaeologist wife Anne Stine Ingstad.

Some scholars consider the Grænlendinga saga , written slightly earlier than the Eiríks saga rauða , to be the more reliable of the two accounts, although the respective stories do share several aspects and characters, and many of the events described are not mutually exclusive of one another.

Who was Leif Erikson?

According to the Viking tradition, as a child Leif was looked after and taught outside the family unit. His tutor and minder was a man called Tyrker, thought to have been a freed German thrall (or slave) captured years earlier by Erik the Red. Tyrker became more of a foster-father figure than a servant to Leif, later accompanying him on his far-ranging expeditions.

• Viking slaves : how prevalent were enslaved people in Viking societies?

Doubtless having heard his father and grandfather’s tales of adventure from a young age, by the time he was in his early 20s, Leif was experiencing a strong urge to explore. His initial escapade saw him depart from Greenland in AD 999 on a trip to Norway, where he intended to serve the king, Olaf Tryggvason.

En route, however, Leif’s ship was blown off course and extreme weather forced him to take shelter in the Hebrides, off the northwest coast of mainland Scotland. The heavy conditions continued for a month or more, preventing the Vikings from setting sail, but Leif kept himself busy and ended up impregnating the daughter of the local lord who was hosting him. The woman, Thorgunna, gave birth to a son, Thorgils, but not before Leif had left for Norway.

Leif made a good impression on Olaf and the King invited him to join his retinue as a hirdman, one of a close circle of armed soldiers. During his stay in Norway, which lasted for the winter, Leif and his entire crew were converted to Christianity, a faith followed by Olaf, and baptised. In the spring, Leif was given a mission: to introduce Christianity to the people of Greenland. It was a challenge he would eventually set about with enthusiasm, but he hadn’t yet sated his appetite for adventure.

The stories surrounding Leif’s first encounter with the Americas differ significantly. In the Eiríks saga rauða , storms again blow the returning Viking off course after he leaves Norway, this time taking him so far west he veers close to the coast of a continent that is unfamiliar to all aboard, but which appears promisingly fertile.

In the Grænlendinga saga , however, Leif learns about this mysterious land from Bjarni Herjólfsson, and is so intrigued that he buys Bjarni's knarr (a Viking ship ) and determines to retrace his route. According to this account, with a crew of 35 men, and armed only with a secondhand boat and a verbal description of the route to follow, Leif sets off on his 1,800-mile journey to a completely new world sometime in AD 1000.

Leif Erikson's voyage to Vinland: a timeline

Erik, who reportedly harboured reservations about the expedition, was prepared to accompany his son, but pulled out of the trip after falling from his horse not long before departure, which he interpreted as a bad omen. Undeterred, Leif set sail and followed Bjarni’s AD 986 homecoming route in reverse, plotting a course northwest across the top end of the Atlantic. The first place they encountered is described as a barren land, now believed to be Baffin Island. Leif called it as he saw it, and named the place Helluland, meaning ‘the land of the flat stones’.

He continued, heading south and skirting the coast of the country we know as Canada. The next place of note, where the landscape changed to become heavily wooded, Leif branded Markland – meaning ‘land of forests’ – which was likely the shore of Labrador. The country looked promising, not least because of the abundance of trees, something sorely lacked by Greenland (despite its name, which Erik the Red chose to make it sound appealing to the people he wanted to lure there from Iceland). Although wood was in high demand for building homes and boats, Leif kept sailing south.

Why is Vinland known as the 'land of wine'?

Eventually, the explorers came to a place, thought to be Newfoundland Island, that ticked all Leif’s boxes. The expedition set up camp in a place that would come to be called Leifsbúðir (literally Leif’s Booths) near Cape Bauld, close to present-day L'Anse aux Meadows on the northern tip of Newfoundland. Here they spent at least one winter, enthusing about the comparatively mild climate, fertile conditions and abundance of food. One day, Tyrker apparently went missing from a group gathering supplies, and when Leif located him, he was drunk and babbling happily about some berries he’d found.

These are referred to in the saga as grapes, although modern experts think it unlikely that grapes as we know them would have grown so far north, and speculate that Tyrker had been scrumping naturally fermenting squashberries, gooseberries or cranberries. Either way, this discovery was greeted with delight, and the place was subsequently named Vinland, meaning ‘land of wine’.

Why was Leif Erikson called Leif the Lucky?

At some point in 1001, laden down with supplies of precious wine ‘grapes’ and wood, Leif and his men made the return journey to Greenland, full of tales about a western land of bounty and beauty. On their way home, they chanced upon and rescued a group of shipwrecked Norse sailors, an adventure that added to the captain’s fame and led to him acquiring the nickname ‘Leif the Lucky’.

Leif subsequently remained in Greenland, enthusiastically espousing Christianity, while his brother Thorvald undertook a second expedition to Vinland, during which he was killed. Unlike Greenland and Iceland, Vinland had a population of indigenous people – known to later Viking explorers as the Skrælings – who were less than impressed at the sudden arrival of the Scandinavians. Thorvald earned the unfortunate honour of becoming the first European to die on the continent when he was killed in a skirmish with the Skrælings .

His other brother, Thorstein, attempted to retrieve Thorvald's body, but died following an unsuccessful voyage. His wife, Gudrid Thorbjarnardóttir , then met and married Thorfinn Karlsefni, an Icelandic merchant who subsequently led an attempt to establish a bigger, more permanent settlement on the new continent. This failed, but the couple did give birth to a son, Snorri Thorfinnsson, the first European to be born on the American continent.

Freydis Eiriksdottir, Leif's sister, also travelled to Vinland, either with Thorfinn Karlsefni or as part of an expedition with two other Icelandic traders, who she subsequently betrayed and had killed (depending on which saga you read). Ultimately, although the terrain offered a good supply of wood and supplies, operating a permanent settlement so far from home proved too hard for the Vikings.

The American chapter of the Vikings’ saga had begun by accident, and their subsequent attempts to deliberately colonise the continent were doomed to fizzle out. Ferocious attacks from First Nation peoples, climate change and distance from their Norse brethren have all been blamed for their failure.

But these intrepid and fearsome folk knew how to wield pens as well as battleaxes and oars, and news of the Norsemen’s globe-bending discovery percolated through European ports over the centuries, influencing the ambitions of later European explorers, including Columbus, who claimed to have visited Iceland in 1477.

When is Leif Erikson day?

Pat Kinsella is a freelance writer specialising in the travel and history

This article was first published in the August 2017 edition of BBC History Revealed

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The Northern climate was harsh. The L'Anse aux Meadows settlement lasted only two years. The last Viking settler in Greenland died in 1540. And the whole Viking culture disappeared in the 12th century when both the Vikings and Scandinavia were converted to Christianity.

The Ages of Exploration

Leif eriksson.

Quick Facts:

He became the first European to land on and establish a settlement in North America. He is also credited for bringing Christianity to Greenland.

Name : Leif Eriksson [leef, leyf] [er-ik-suh n]

Birth/Death : ca. 970 CE-1020 CE

Nationality : Norse

Birthplace : Iceland

Leif Eriksson Statue

Introduction Nearly 500 years before Christopher Columbus crossed the ocean blue, a Norse Viking by the name of Leif Eriksson landed on the North American continent. Eriksson is believed to be the first European to have landed on and established a settlement in North America around 1000 CE. Today, we still ask ourselves, “Who really discovered America?”

Biography Early Life Leif Eriksson (also spelled Ericson) was born in Iceland around 970 CE. He would eventually earn the nickname “Leif the Lucky.” He was the son of Erik Thorvaldson, better known as “Erik the Red,” and Thorhild. In Viking tradition, children are named after their father. When Erik the Red had a son and named him Leif, he became Leif Eriksson (Leif, Erik’s son). 1 He had two brothers, Thorvald, and Thorstein; and a sister named Freydis. One cannot tell Leif’s story without first knowing his father’s journeys. As a small boy, Leif grew up without his father who had been banished from Iceland after being found guilty of murder. Erik was gone for three years, during which time he discovered and explored Greenland. When Erik returned to Iceland, he told the people of the new country he’d found. Erik took his family and several other colonists, and established a new home in Greenland where Leif grew up in a place called Brattahlid.

In Greenland, Erik was elected the people’s leader, which did not leave much time for him to pay attention to Leif. So Leif was mostly taught and raised by one of Erik’s followers, a man named Tyrker. 2 In 1000 CE, Leif traveled to Norway where he spent the winter in the house of King Olaf Tryggvason, who was a Christian. Here, Leif converted to the Christian religion. He eventually returned to Greenland where he converted many colonists to Christianity as well. Back in Greenland, Erik the Red was told by a fellow Viking of a rich land to the west he’d seen when he was blown off course during his voyage to Greenland. Erik and Leif planned to go explore this new land. However, Erik’s horse stumbled before they were getting ready to leave. He took this as an omen that he should stay home, which left Leif to lead the adventurous voyage.

Voyages Principal Voyage Around 1000 CE, Leif Eriksson purchased a ship from a fellow Norseman, gathered a crew of 35 men, and set sail for the new lands. Much of what they first explored is believed to be part of present day northern Canada, although it is not known for sure. 3 They first landed in an area that was flat and covered in rocks and glaciers. Eriksson named this region Helluland, meaning “Land of Flat Rocks.” Helluland is believed to be modern day Baffin Island. 4 This bare area of rocks had no use of a potential Norse colony, so Leif continued onward. Moving south along the coast, Eriksson and his crew reached what is believed to be present day Labrador. This area was covered in trees and white sands, so Eriksson named it Markland, or “Forest Land.”

They continued further south until they came to an island. They went ashore and found the area to be green with trees that had sweet wild grapes. Eriksson and his crew built houses and spent winter in this area which he named Vinland or “Wineland.” 5 While on shore, they found an abundance of salmon for food, and that the grass would be good for cattle. Leif divided his crew: half would stay with houses and do work; the other half would further explore the land. To be fair, Leif would sometimes stay to help with the work and other times go exploring. At one point, Leif’s foster father Tyrker, who was part of Leif’s crew, found an area thriving with grapevines. They collected several vines and grapes to be taken back home with them. 6 The next spring, they set sail for Greenland.

Subsequent Voyages Leif loaded his ship with the grapes and vines they had found, and set sail back to Greenland. They had fair wind their entire journey, and the trip was fairly uneventful. At one point, however, during the return trip home, Leif came upon a shipwreck and stranded crewman. Leif took the fifteen men on board his ship, and brought the rescued men back to Greenland with him. The men eventually found homes and settled there. Eriksson was welcomed home as a hero. He then earned the nickname “Leif the Lucky.”

Later Years and Death Leif Eriksson never returned to the lands of North America but his brother Thorvald did. Eriksson spent the remainder of his life in Greenland where he spread Christianity to the people. He assumed leadership of the settlements after his father’s death until his own passing. The exact date of Eriksson’s death is unknown, but is estimated around 1020 CE. 7

Legacy Most of what we know of Leif’s life comes from stories known as sagas. These sagas began as oral stories that were told through the generations, and then eventually written down. The Vikings did not manage to establish any permanent settlements in North America. However, Eriksson voyaged to North American lands nearly five centuries before Christopher Columbus did. October 9th is “Leif Eriksson Day.” It was created by US President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964 to honor and recognize Eriksson’s Nordic heritage’s contributions to American history.

• Don Young and Marjorie Young, Iceland Adventure Guide (Edison: Hunter Publishing, Inc., 2008), 4.
• Peter Archer, The Book of Viking Myths (Avon: Adams Media, 2017), 25.
• Britannica Educational Publishing, Biographies of the New World: Leif Eriksson, Henry Hudson, Charles Darwin, and More , ed. Michael Anderson (New York: Britannica Educational Publishing, 2013), 14.
• “The Saga of the Greenlanders (Grœnlendinga saga),” accessed June 13, 2017, https://notendur.hi.is/haukurth/utgafa/greenlanders.html.
• Britannica Educational Publishing, Biographies of the New World , 14.
• Meriden Scientific Association, Proceedings and Transactions of the Scientific Association, Volumes 4 – 8 (Meriden: Press of E.A. Horton & Co., 1891), 75
• William J. Mills, Exploring Polar Frontiers: A Historical Encyclopedia, Volume 1, A – L (Santa Barbara: ABC – CLIO, 2003), 219.

Bibliography

Archer, Peter. The Book of Viking Myths. Avon: Adams Media, 2017.

Britannica Educational Publishing. Biographies of the New World: Leif Eriksson, Henry Hudson, Charles Darwin, and More . edited by Michael Anderson. New York: Britannica Educational Publishing, 2013.

Meriden Scientific Association. Proceedings and Transactions of the Scientific Association, Volumes 4 – 8 . Meriden: Press of E.A. Horton & Co., 1891.

Mills, William J. Exploring Polar Frontiers: A Historical Encyclopedia, Volume 1, A – L . Santa Barbara: ABC – CLIO, 2003.

“The Saga of the Greenlanders (Grœnlendinga saga).” Accessed June 13, 2017. https://notendur.hi.is/haukurth/utgafa/greenlanders.html .

Young, Don and Marjorie Young. Iceland Adventure Guide. Edison: Hunter Publishing, Inc., 2008.

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Leif Erikson: The Full Story (History, Facts & Timeline)

Leif “the Lucky” Erikson might not have been a stereotypical Viking conqueror like some of his perhaps more famous Norse contemporaries, but he is still one of the greatest and most renowned Vikings of all time. This is of course due to his epic feat of being the first European to set foot in North America, more than 500 years before Christopher Columbus.

But how did he end up crossing the Atlantic, and how was he able to do it so many years before the European colonial super powers of the 15th century managed to do it?

Let’s take a look at the full story of Leif Erikson; who he was, where he came from, and what he managed to accomplish in his lifetime.

ℹ️ I’ll be leaning on the Norse sagas as well as modern-day scientific studies as sources for descriptions, dates, and locations in this article, in an attempt to provide as accurate a timeline as possible for the life and feats of Leif Erikson.

Leif Erikson is born in Iceland

• Leif's father Erik the Red Discovers and Settles in Greenland with His Family

Leif is sent to Fight for Norwegian King Olaf I, who baptizes him

Leif erikson accidentally discovers and lands in north america, vikings have established a settlement in newfoundland (l’anse aux meadows), leif erikson dies, and is succeeded by his son thorkel as chieftan of greenland, how was leif erikson described in the sagas, when did leif erikson discover america.

• Leif Erikson's Father: Erik the Red
• Leif Erikson's Sons: Thorgils and Thorkell
• Leif Erikson's Sister: Freydis Eiriksdottir
• Leif Erikson's Legacy

When and Why is Leif Erikson Day Celebrated?

Do we know for sure that leif erikson discovered north america, a timeline of leif erikson’s life.

The son of Erik the Red and Thjodhild

Leif’s father Erik the Red Discovers and Settles in Greenland with His Family

Banished from Iceland, Erik sets sail westwards and is rewarded with the discovery of a new, great island. He names it Greenland in hopes that more people will follow him and his family there.

In order to get a proper Viking education, Leif is sent to Norway to serve as a retainer to the King. Leif would distinguish himself in combat, sports, and social manoeuvring whilst in Norway.

Leif is sent on a mission to Chrisitanize Greenland by King Olaf I, but is blown off course by a major storm on the voyage over. He finds himself off the coast of a new and unknown land, and sets foot in North America as the first European in history.

By means of carbon and radioactive dating a 2022 study published in Nature shows the exact date of the presence of a Viking settlement in North America.

~1019-1025 CE

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Who Was Leif Erikson? Leif’s Origins & Persona

Erikson was born around 970 CE in Iceland, the son of Erik the Red and his wife Thjodhild (or Thorhild as she is called in Hauksbók ). As you may know, Leif’s father Erik was also a renown Viking explorer; discovering and naming Greenland, and founding the first Norse settlement in Greenland in 986 CE.

In other words, Leif spent his early childhood in Iceland and moved to Greenland with his family when he was approaching his teens.

Leif would eventually leave Greenland as a young adult to grow up like many other well-bred Norsemen at the time; shaped and destined for greatness by serving a King as a warrior (more specifically retainer for Norwegian King Olaf Tryggvason ).

While serving King Olaf I , he would distinguish himself in combat, sports, and generally navigating the Viking ways of life very well.

Leif Erikson was described as being a man of great physical strength and stature, of striking appearance, and with a wise and generous demeanor.

The Adventures & History of Leif Erikson

By all accounts, Eriksson was an accomplished Viking and a skilled shipbuilder and navigator. He is known to have sailed to Greenland, North America, and possibly even as far as the east coast of modern-day New England, USA.

In short, Leif discovered America around the year 1000, after a storm blew his ship (on a voyage from Norway to Greenland) astray. Against all odds they found themselves on the North American coastline instead, where he would land and explore this new and bountiful land as the first European in history.

It should also be noted that many believe that Bjarni Herjólfsson technically was the first Viking to discover America, as had explored west of Greenland around 986 CE and brought home tales of a foreign land. Since he did not land or bring anything back as proof of his discovery, it’s told that no one actually believed him.

Anyway, the full story goes that Leif set sails from Norway back towards his father’s Greenland, tasked with a mission to Christianize the heathen Vikings by King Olaf .

During the voyage Leif and his ships found themselves in a raging storm, tossed around without much hope of finding land.

But land they found, and as described in Erik the Red’s Saga, it was likely the moment he found and landed in North America:

After being tossed about at sea for a long time he chanced upon land where he had not expected any to be found. Fields of self-sown wheat and vines were growing there; also, there were trees known as maple, and they took specimens of all of them. Erik the Red’s Saga, Page 661, Chapter 5

After this chance discovery of a continent that had only been rumoured by the likes of Bjarni Herjólfsson (who had explored westward around 986 CE and reported sights of a new land, but not been taken seriously by his fellow Norsemen), Leif and his crew landed and explored this new land they would call Vinland (after the vines).

Leif eventually sailed back towards Greenland, when he found “men clinging to a ship’s wreck, whom he brought home and found shelter for over the winter”.

Saving these men, and telling the tale of his very fortunate discovery and exploration of Vinland not only showed his kindness and strong character to his fellow Norsemen, they were also the main factors behind his new nickname: Leif the Lucky.

Here’s a pretty good video that tells about Leif’s adventures straight from the Saga of Erik the Red, if you’d like to dive even deeper into the adventures of Leif Erikson:

Leif Erikson’s Family

Leif erikson’s father: erik the red.

Erik Thorvaldsson (a.k.a. Erik the Red) was born in Norway 950 CE, but hrough the misdeeds of his father, the family was banished from Norway to Iceland when Erik was still young.

In keeping up with family tradition, Eric was in turn also banished from Iceland after being accused of manslaughter in 982 CE.

This time he couldn’t go further west, as there wasn’t really anywhere else to go that people knew of at the time. But according to legend, he sailed westward in search of new land anyway, perhaps because of how desperate he was to leave Iceland behind.

Here’s an informative video, if you prefer to watch instead of read:

He is believed to have discovered Greenland in 982 CE, and named it “Greenland” either to entice settlers to the frozen land, or because of how beautiful the green fjords were.

Either way, Erik managed to get many Norsemen to eventually relocate along with him to Greenland, where they established settlements and farmed the land.

Erik moved his whole family to Greenland; his wife Tjodhill, their three sons Thorvald, Thorstein, and Leif, and their daughter Freydis. They were the first permanent settlers of Greenland, and along with the other Norsemen they established two settlements on the southwestern coast of Greenland, near present-day Nuuk and Qaqortoq.

He was the first known European to explore and map the coasts of Greenland, which were often marred by icebergs and at the time seen as uninhabited.

The Norse settlements in Greenland thrived for centuries, until they were ultimately destroyed by climate change and the incoming Inuit people, who had come from North America (and still live there today).

He was nicknamed “the Red” due to his red hair and beard, and was a very skilled navigator who was part of a select few who were able to traverse the treacherous waters of the North Atlantic Ocean.

Leif Erikson’s Sons: Thorgils and Thorkell

Before Leif ended up in Norway to fight with Olaf I , his ship from Greenland was driven off course to the Hebrides outside Scotland. During this short stay there, he got romantically involved with a noble Norse woman called Thorgunna , who ended up pregnant.

Although he did acknowledge being the father and loved Thorgunna by all accounts, he had little interest in marrying or settling down, and even less so in abducting a woman of noble birth against her family’s will. So he left for Norway as soon as he could, before his first son Thorgils was born.

Thorgunna wasn’t happy at all about this, and responded in the following way according to Eirik the Red’s Saga :

I will raise the boy and send him to you in Greenland as soon as he is of an age to travel with others. But it’s my guess that he will serve you as well as you have served me now with your departure. I intend to come to Greenland myself before it’s all over. Thorgunna in Eirik the Red’s Saga, Chapter 5

Thorgils would indeed later be sent to his father in Greenland, but was described as generally “uncanny” by most people and although welcomed by his father, he was seen as illegitimate by most others.

We do not know as much about Leif’s second son, Thorkell, but it was ultimately he who succeeded Leif as chieftain of Greenland, so we can assume he was seen as his legitimate heir (despite being the younger brother).

It does seem like Leif, like most Norse people at the time, had a special affinity towards the thunder god Thor, as he named both of his sons after him. If you’d like to learn more about Thor, I’ve written a complete guide to Thor in Norse mythology, where we explore everything there is to know about the Norse god of thunder .

Thor in Norse Mythology: The Strong God of Thunder & Farmers

Believe it or not, the Thor from Norse mythology is not quite the handsome, chiseled, blond, and time-traveling hunk you’ve seen in the MCU movies. In Norse mythology, the thunder god is primarily described as a red-haired, pot-bellied, temperamental, and fiercely strong warrior, who loves to knock down vast quantities of mead and even known to dress up as a lady (!) in order to trick the giants to give back his lost hammer. Read Article Now

Leif Erikson’s Sister: Freydis Eiriksdottir

Leif also had a sister, or possibly half-sister, named Freydis, who was either an unforgiving Viking warrior who single-handedly repelled a horde of natives in Vinland (North America), or a deceiving explorer who murdered her adversaries’ wives with an axe when her soldiers refused to — depending on which sources you want to trust.

Either way, Freydis had a lot of influence on her brother’s journeys, and was likely instrumental in their success.

So why do we think was she so influential in Leif’s life? Well, she is featured heavily in the  Saga of the Greenlanders  and the  Saga of Erik the Red , and the sagas rarely feature characters of little importance.

Leif Erikson’s Legacy

According to the tales, Leif and his crew landed on the eastern coast of North America, where they (or other Norsemen) at some point founded a settlement called  Vinland  (believed to be located at  L’Anse aux Meadows , Newfoundland).

Archeological evidence supports the existence of a Viking settlement at  L’Anse aux Meadows , as researchers have found plenty of Viking artifacts and remaints around the area.

The evidence includes turf walls, a forge, and a boat landing — which in a 2022 study published in Nature has been dated to exactly 1021 CE (which suggests that the settlement was likely not established by Leif Erikson himself, who died at around the exact same time).

The  Vinland  settlement ultimately fell apart some time after Leif’s death, and there is no record of it ever being re-established (though Norse sea-farers were thought to have explored the east coast of North America for up to a hundred years after).

Many of the artifacts found at the site at L’Anse aux Meadows are on display at The National Museum of Denmark in Copenhagen today, including a sword and other tools made from American-sourced copper.

This checks out according to the  Vinland sagas , which admittedly are not always considered reliable sources.

The  Vinland Sagas  are a collection of Norse sagas relating to the exploration of North America by Norsemen, including Leif Erikson, prior to the voyages of Christopher Columbus and other later European explorers. 

The most famous of the sagas is the  Grœnlendinga Saga , which tells of the exploits of Erik the Red and his son Leif Eriksson in their exploration of Greenland and Vinland, respectively. The sagas also describe the encounters between the Norse and Native Americans.

The natives (called  skrælingar  by the Norse) were not surprisingly described as hostile to the Norse settlers, and likely also killed Leif’s brother Thorvald. They were described as living in houses made from wood and thatched roofs, and wore clothes of animal skins. 

There are numerous statues that have been raised in honor of Leif Erikson, among them the statue at L’anse aux Meadows (shown above) that was built in 2013, and is located on a hill overlooking the Vinland site in Newfoundland, Canada. 

The memorial includes an exhibit about the settlement at Vinland. While the Vinland sagas are a major part of Norse mythology, the truth behind them is unknown.

Leif Erikson is also the main character in Netflix’ Vikings: Valhalla series, where he is portrayed by Sam Corlett:

Though certainly entertaining and worth watching, I wouldn’t say it’s very historically accurate. So take it all with a grain of salt and enjoy the action-packed ride if you’re into shows like that!

Leif Erikson Day is celebrated on October 9 (since 1964) in the United States, to celebrate Americans of Nordic origin and the Nordic influences in American culture and development in general, and in honor of Leif Erikson’s discovery and settlement of North America.

It is celebrated on October 9 as that’s the day in 1825 the ship Restoration from Stavanger docked in New York with 52 Norwegian immigrants, which is thought of as the first organised Nordic emigration to America.

Before the day was formally adopted as a national holiday, Leif Erikson Day had already been celebrated in the states of Wisconsin and Minnesota in the 1930s (both having a large proportion of residents of Nordic origin).

Leif Erikson is the first European and Viking that was documented to have found and landed in North America, but the first Norseman to discover the continent was likely Bjarni Herjólfsson  who allegedly sailed there in 986 CE but never landed.

There is also speculation that both Irish monks and Phoenician explorers could have reached North America before the Vikings did by similar ways of Island-hopping their way there, but so far we have found no proof or indications that could support these theories.

https://litteraturbanken.se/presentationer/specialomraden/ErikDenRodesSaga.html

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-021-03972-8

https://archive.org/details/storyofunitedsta00marsrich/page/6/mode/2up?view=theater

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By Karl Andersson

As a native Swede with a Finnish mother, Karl identifies as both Nordic and Scandinavian. He left Sweden at 19 to explore the world, and stayed abroad for almost 8 years—during which he backpacked, worked every job there was, earned a degree from UC Berkeley, and met the future mother of his children. He ultimately returned to his native Malmö with his love, where they now have 3 Swedish-American boys eager to explore the world.

I wish you would have mentioned Gudrid and Snorri. I think their story is fascinating! I enjoyed your articles!

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World History Edu

• World History

Life and Adventures of Leif Eriksson

by World History Edu · February 24, 2024

Leif Eriksson, a name etched in the annals of history as the legendary Norse explorer, stands as a figure of immense curiosity and admiration. Born around 970 AD in Iceland, he was the son of Erik the Red, the notorious founder of the first Norse settlements in Greenland.

Undoubtedly, Leif’s saga is not just a tale of exploration and discovery but a vivid narrative of resilience, leadership, and the unquenchable thirst for venturing into the unknown.

Leif Eriksson was a Norse explorer, known for being among the first Europeans to set foot in North America, predating Columbus by centuries.

Below, World History Edu delves into the life and journeys of Leif Erikson.

Most Famous Explorers of All Time

Early Life in a Seafaring Culture

Leif’s upbringing was steeped in the rich seafaring culture of the Norse people. From a young age, he would have been familiar with the sagas and stories of distant lands beyond the sea, tales of adventure that were part of the Norse oral tradition. His father, Erik the Red, was a formidable figure, having established the first Norse settlement in Greenland after being exiled from Iceland. This background provided Leif with the perfect blend of ambition and expertise necessary for maritime exploration.

The Journey to Greenland

Leif’s early life was marked by significant events, one of which was his journey to Greenland with his father. This expedition was not merely a relocation but a venture into relatively unknown and inhospitable territories. The successful establishment of settlements in Greenland under Erik the Red’s leadership would have been a profound lesson for young Leif, teaching him the essentials of survival, colonization, and leadership in uncharted lands.

Vinland Saga: The Discovery of a New World

The most celebrated chapter in Leif Eriksson’s life is undoubtedly his discovery of Vinland, what is believed today to be part of North America. The sagas recount that Leif set sail from Greenland around the year 1000 AD, possibly driven by stories of lands to the west mentioned by earlier Norse sailors. The exact reasons for Leif’s voyage remain a subject of speculation, ranging from a deliberate exploration mission to a voyage blown off course by the North Atlantic currents.

Leif and his crew first landed in a place they named Helluland, believed to be modern-day Baffin Island, characterized by its flat stones and rocky terrain. Moving further south, they reached a land with white sandy shores and lush forests, which they named Markland, likely today’s Labrador. The culmination of their journey was Vinland, a region described as being rich in grapes and self-sown wheat, possibly located in what is now Newfoundland, Canada.

Life in Vinland

The sagas provide tantalizing glimpses into Leif and his crew’s life in Vinland. They built a settlement, which archaeological evidence at L’Anse aux Meadows confirms, and spent a winter there. This settlement served as a base for exploration in the surrounding areas and for gathering resources such as timber and grapes, essential commodities in Greenland.

Leif’s Return

Leif returned to Greenland after his expeditions, where he assumed a leadership role following his father’s death. He is credited with introducing Christianity to Greenland, having been converted during a stay in Norway. His voyages to Vinland were not followed up significantly in his lifetime, possibly due to hostile encounters with the indigenous peoples, referred to as Skrælings in the sagas, or the logistical challenges of sustaining long-distance colonies.

Leif Eriksson’s legacy is monumental, transcending the annals of Norse history to become a part of the broader narrative of human exploration. He is celebrated as the first European to set foot on North American shores, nearly 500 years before Christopher Columbus. His voyages highlight the remarkable seafaring capabilities of the Norse people and their openness to exploring the world beyond the familiar confines of Europe.

Historical and Cultural Impact

Leif Eriksson’s adventures have had a lasting impact on history and culture, influencing not just the perception of Viking explorations but also shaping modern identities. In the 19th and 20th centuries, Leif became a symbol of Scandinavian heritage, particularly among communities of Scandinavian descent in North America. Leif Eriksson Day, celebrated on October 9th in the United States, exemplifies his cultural significance, commemorating the contributions of Scandinavians to American history and the spirit of exploration.

In the grand tapestry of history, Leif Eriksson stands out not just as an explorer but as a symbol of the human urge to discover, to venture beyond the horizon in search of the unknown.

Frequently asked questions about Leif Eriksson

Leif Eriksson is famous for his voyage to Vinland, which many believe is part of modern-day Canada, effectively making him one of the first European explorers to reach North America.

The following are some of the most asked questions about this Norse explorer:

When did Leif Eriksson discover America?

Leif Eriksson’s journey to Vinland is believed to have taken place around the year 1000 AD.

Where was Leif Eriksson from?

Leif was born in Iceland, the son of Erik the Red, who founded the first Norse settlements in Greenland.

What lands did Leif Eriksson discover?

He discovered several areas in North America, including places he named Helluland, Markland, and Vinland.

How did Leif Eriksson navigate?

Norse explorers like Leif relied on the sun, stars, and ocean currents for navigation, along with possibly using sunstones to locate the sun on cloudy days.

What happened to Leif Eriksson’s settlements in Vinland?

The settlements in Vinland were not permanent and were eventually abandoned, possibly due to conflicts with indigenous peoples or the logistical challenges of sustaining them.

Vikings, including Leif Eriksson, explored three regions: Helluland, possibly Baffin Island, known for its flat stones; Markland, a forested area; and Vinland, celebrated for its grapes, suggesting a fertile land. Image: A painting, by Hans Dahl, of Erikson’s discovery of America.

Who was Leif Eriksson’s brother Thorvald?

Per the accounts, Leif Eriksson briefly settled in North America, spending one winter before returning to Greenland with valuable timber, crucial for Viking ships, homes, and furniture. And following his path, his brother Thorvald embarked on a similar journey, staying in the newfound land for an extended period, several years, continuing the exploration and interaction with the continent.

Upon reaching the new lands, Thorvald encountered a number of indigenous peoples, whom they referred to as “skrælings” (an Old Norse term roughly meaning ‘barbarians’). Initial interactions led to a violent clash, resulting in the death of almost all the indigenous individuals in one encounter.

This hostility escalated when the native population retaliated with a significant attack using boats. During this confrontation, Thorvald was fatally injured by an arrow that struck him in the armpit, leading to his death from the wounds sustained. This incident underscores the challenging and often hostile interactions between the Vikings and the indigenous populations of North America.

Myths About the Viking Age

Is there any archaeological evidence of Leif Eriksson’s voyages?

Yes, the site at L’Anse aux Meadows in Newfoundland, Canada, has been widely accepted as evidence of Norse presence in North America, likely linked to Leif’s voyages.

How is Leif Eriksson remembered today?

Leif Eriksson is celebrated for his contributions to exploration, particularly in Scandinavian communities and through Leif Eriksson Day in the United States on October 9th.

Did Leif Eriksson interact with indigenous peoples of North America?

The sagas mention encounters with indigenous peoples, referred to as “Skrælings,” though details about these interactions are sparse and largely legendary.

Tags: Leif Eriksson Norse Explorers Norse Sagas Transatlantic Voyages Viking Age Vinland Discovery

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Leif Eriksson Voyage

This scribble map shows how and where leif eriksson travled to north america.

Map of the 2100 Moscow Metro

July 31, 2010

Planning on taking the Moscow metro at the beginning of the next century? If so, be sure to have this map handy — it should clear things up for you:

This map — and the version detailing the current Moscow Metro , which is slightly more sane — was made by Artemy Lebedev . In all seriousness, his map of the 2010 metro is a nice improvement to the current standard .