Person

Leif Erikson

c. 970–c. 1020 · 11th century · Also known as Leifr Eiríksson, Leif the Lucky

Leif Erikson was a Norse explorer, son of Erik the Red, the founder of the Norse settlements in Greenland. According to the Icelandic sagas he sailed from Greenland around 1000 to lands he called Helluland, Markland and Vinland, making him one of the first Europeans to reach North America. The sagas also credit him with bringing Christianity to Greenland. The site at L'Anse aux Meadows confirms a Norse presence.

Leif Erikson
Image: Sculptor Daniels, John K. 1875-1978 Photo: Sharon Mollerus · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Mentioned in 1 state history

Norse Greenland

See also

Cite this entry
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Leif Erikson. In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/leif-erikson
MLA
“Leif Erikson.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/leif-erikson. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Leif Erikson.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/leif-erikson.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Leif Erikson’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/leif-erikson (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻