EXPLORER

Erik the Red

950 - 1003

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Erik Thorvaldsson (c. 950 – c. 1003), known as Erik the Red, was a Norse explorer, described in medieval and Icelandic saga sources as having founded the first European settlement in Greenland. Erik most likely earned the epithet "the Red" due to the color of his hair and beard. According to Icelandic sagas, Erik was born in the Jæren district of Rogaland, Norway, as the son of Thorvald Asvaldsson; to which Thorvald would later be banished from Norway, and would sail west to Iceland with Erik and his family. During Erik's life in Iceland, he married Þjódhild Jorundsdottir and would have four children, with one of Erik's sons being the well-known Icelandic explorer Leif Erikson. Read more on Wikipedia

His biography is available in different languages on Wikipedia. Erik the Red is the 22nd most popular explorer (up from 23rd in 2019), the 15th most popular biography from Norway (down from 13th in 2019) and the 3rd most popular Norwegian Explorer.

Erik the Red is most famous for being the father of Leif Erikson, the first European to set foot in North America.

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Among EXPLORERS

Among explorers, Erik the Red ranks 22 out of 498. Before him are Francis Drake, Robert Falcon Scott, Fridtjof Nansen, Pedro Álvares Cabral, Abel Tasman, and Vitus Bering. After him are Xuanzang, Willem Barentsz, Jacques Cousteau, Juan Sebastián Elcano, David Livingstone, and Thor Heyerdahl.

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Contemporaries

Among people born in 950, Erik the Red ranks 1. After him are Pope John XVII, Mariam al-Asturlabi, Adelaide of Aquitaine, Amlaíb, King of Scotland, Ibn Yunus, Maslama al-Majriti, Boleslaus III, Duke of Bohemia, Leo the Deacon, Bernard I, Duke of Saxony, Gunnor, and Olof Björnsson. Among people deceased in 1003, Erik the Red ranks 1. After him are Pope Sylvester II, Pope John XVII, Gregory of Narek, Athanasius the Athonite, At-Ta'i, Rozala of Italy, Vladivoj, Duke of Bohemia, Herman II, Duke of Swabia, and Beatrice of France.

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In Norway

Among people born in Norway, Erik the Red ranks 15 out of 1,039. Before him are Anni-Frid Lyngstad (1945), Knut Hamsun (1859), Olaf II of Norway (993), Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson (1832), Fridtjof Nansen (1861), and Magnus the Good (1024). After him are Niels Henrik Abel (1802), Olaf Tryggvason (963), Margaret, Maid of Norway (1283), Harald Fairhair (850), Haakon the Good (918), and Thor Heyerdahl (1914).

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Among EXPLORERS In Norway

Among explorers born in Norway, Erik the Red ranks 3. Before him are Roald Amundsen (1872), and Fridtjof Nansen (1861). After him are Thor Heyerdahl (1914), Ingólfr Arnarson (850), Otto Sverdrup (1854), Carsten Borchgrevink (1864), Ohthere of Hålogaland (900), Naddodd (900), Carl Anton Larsen (1860), Helge Ingstad (1899), and Thekla Resvoll (1871).

Norwegian born Explorers

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