Leif Eriksson Biography

Leif Eriksson biography

Quick Facts

NAME: Leif Eriksson
OCCUPATION: Explorer
BIRTH DATE: c. 1001
DEATH DATE: c. 1100
PLACE OF BIRTH: Norway
AKA: Leif Eriksson
Nickname: The Lucky Norwegian
AKA: Leiv Eriksson den Hepne

Best Known For

Icelandic explorer Leif Eriksson, the second son of Erik the Red, was possibly the first European to reach North America.

Quiz

Think you know about Biography?

Answer questions and see how you rank against other players.

Play Now

Print Cite This

Leif Eriksson

APA Style

Leif Eriksson. (2013). The Biography Channel website. Retrieved 09:28, May 19, 2013, from http://www.biography.com/people/leif-eriksson-9378184.

Harvard Style

Leif Eriksson. [Internet]. 2013. The Biography Channel website. Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/leif-eriksson-9378184 [Accessed 19 May 2013].

MLA Style

"Leif Eriksson." 2013. The Biography Channel website. May 19 2013, 09:28 http://www.biography.com/people/leif-eriksson-9378184.

MHRA Style

"Leif Eriksson," The Biography Channel website, 2013, http://www.biography.com/people/leif-eriksson-9378184 [accessed May 19, 2013].

Chicago Style

"Leif Eriksson," The Biography Channel website, http://www.biography.com/people/leif-eriksson-9378184 (accessed May 19, 2013).

CBE/CSE Style

Leif Eriksson [Internet]. The Biography Channel website; 2013 [cited 2013 May 19] Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/leif-eriksson-9378184.

Bluebook Style

Leif Eriksson, http://www.biography.com/people/leif-eriksson-9378184 (last visited May 19, 2013).

AMA Style

Leif Eriksson. The Biography Channel website. 2013. Available at: http://www.biography.com/people/leif-eriksson-9378184. Accessed May 19, 2013.

Profile

The second son of Erik the Red, Leif Eriksson was on his way back from Norway to Greenland, where he had been sent to Christianize the natives, when he sailed off course and landed probably at Nova Scotia, which he called Vinland. This account comes from the Icelandic Eiríks saga. Another account, the Groenlendinga saga, says he learned of Vinland from a man who had been there 14 years earlier.