Leif Erikson

Leif Erikson
Statue of Leif near the Minnesota State Capitol in St. Paul
Born	c. 970 Iceland
Died	c. 1020 (aged 49 or 50) Greenland
Nationality	Norse: Icelandic-Norwegian
Occupation	Explorer
Known for	Discovering Vinland (Part of North America; possibly Newfoundland)
Partner(s)	Thorgunna (c. 999)
Children	Thorgils, Thorkell
Relatives	Erik the Red (father), Þjóðhildur (mother), Thorvald, Thorstein and Freydís (siblings)

Leif Erikson or Leif Ericson (Old Norse: Leifr Eiríksson; Icelandic: Leifur Eiríksson; Norwegian: Leiv Eiriksson c. 970 – c. 1020) was an Icelandicexplorer and the first known European to have discovered North America (excluding Greenland), before Christopher Columbus. According to the Sagas of Icelanders, he established a Norse settlement at Vinland, tentatively identified with the Norse L'Anse aux Meadows on the northern tip of Newfoundland in modern-day Canada. Later archaeological evidence suggests that Vinland may have been the areas around the Gulf of St. Lawrence and that the L'Anse aux Meadows site was a ship repair station.

Leif was the son of Erik the Red, the founder of the first Norse settlement in Greenland and of Þjóðhildur (anglicized Thjodhild). He was likely born in Iceland, and grew up in the family estate Brattahlíð in the Eastern Settlement in Greenland. Leif had two known sons: Thorgils, born to noblewoman Thorgunna in the Hebrides; and Thorkell, who succeeded him as chieftain of the Greenland settlement.