Leif Erikson

Lore & Background

Leif's life is documented through two primary sagas: the Saga of Erik the Red and the Saga of the Greenlanders, written around 1200. In the latter account, Leif purchased a ship from Bjarni Herjólfsson, who had previously spotted unknown coasts while blown off course. Leif gathered thirty-five men and retraced Bjarni's route in reverse. He first landed on Helluland (Flat-Rock Land), then Markland (Forest Land), before reaching an island north of a cape and finally a verdant mainland area rich with salmon. During winter, his foster father Tyrker discovered wild grapes and self-sown wheat, leading Leif to name the region Vinland. He built a settlement called Leifsbudir (Leif's Booths). The Saga of Erik the Red offers a conflicting version where Leif was blown off course while sailing from Norway, finding similar resources and rescuing shipwrecked sailors, an act that cemented his nickname 'the Lucky'.

In Their Own Story

The journey began with a crew of thirty-five men setting sail towards lands described by Bjarni. Erik the Red intended to join but fell from his horse on the way to the ship, a bad omen that kept him behind. Leif followed Bjarni's path in reverse, first encountering the desolate rocks of Helluland and then the forests of Markland. After two more days at sea, they reached an island north of a cape before landing on a mainland with a mild climate. As winter approached, they encamped. It was here that Tyrker, trusted since Leif's childhood, excitedly reported finding vines and grapes, a discovery that defined the land as Vinland. The crew built Leifsbudir and spent the winter. In spring, Leif returned to Greenland with timber and grapes. On his return voyage, he rescued an Icelandic castaway, further solidifying his reputation for fortune.

Reader's Guide

Leif's historical footprint is anchored by archaeological evidence found at L'Anse aux Meadows in Newfoundland, Canada. Carbon dating places this site between 990–1050 CE, with tree-ring analysis pinpointing occupation to the year 1021, aligning closely with Leif's timeline. While some scholars suggest L'Anse aux Meadows served as a ship repair station or waypoint for further voyages into the Gulf of St. Lawrence, it remains the primary physical link to his narrative. The sagas mention additional settlements like Straumfjǫrðr and Hóp located farther south, suggesting Vinland was a broader region rather than a single point. Leif eventually succeeded his father as chief of the Greenland settlement after Erik's death shortly after 1000 CE.

Did You Know?

• Leif's father, Erik the Red, was banished from Norway for manslaughter before settling in Greenland.
• Leif earned the nickname 'Leif the Lucky' after rescuing a group of shipwrecked sailors during his return voyage from Vinland.
• His foster father, Tyrker, was the one who discovered wild grapes and self-sown wheat in Vinland.
• Leif had two known sons: Thorgils, born in the Hebrides, and Thorkell, who succeeded him as Greenland's chieftain.
• Tree-ring analysis of wood found at L'Anse aux Meadows dates the site specifically to the year 1021.