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Definition
Leif Erikson
Leif Erikson (also spelled Leif Eriksson, Old Norse Leifr Eiríksson), nicknamed Leif 'the Lucky', was a Norse Viking who is best known for arguably being the first European to have set foot on North American soil along with his crew c. 1000...
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Leif Erikson
Statue of the Norse Viking Leif Erikson (estimated c. 970-1020 CE) outside Hallgrimskirka in Reykjavik, Iceland. Leif was the son of Erik the Red, founder of the first Norse settlement in Greenland, and is himself often credited with being...
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Leif Erikson
Hallgrímskirkja and statue of Leif Eriksson.
Reykjavik
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Leif Erikson Sighting America
Painting by Christian Krogh (1852-1925 CE) depicting the Norse Viking Leif Erikson discovering America. Leif is credited by the 13th-century CE Icelandic Vinland Sagas with discovering and/or being the leader of the first European crew to...
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Definition
Vinland
Vinland (Old Norse Vínland, 'Wine Land') is the name given to the lands explored and briefly settled by Norse Vikings in North America around 1000 CE, particularly referring to Newfoundland, where a Viking site known as L'Anse aux Meadows...
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Article
Interview with Gordon Campbell
In this interview, World History Encyclopedia talks to author and scholar Gordon Campbell all about his new book Norse America: The Story of a Founding Myth published by Oxford University Press. Kelly (WHE): Thanks for joining me today...
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Twelve Great Viking Leaders
The Viking Age (c. 790-1100 CE) transformed every aspect of the cultures the Norse came in contact with. The Vikings usually struck without warning and, in the early years, left with their plunder and slaves to be sold as quickly as they...
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The Norse in America: Fact and Fiction
The idea that it was the Norse who discovered America first emerged in the late 18th century, long before there was any public awareness of the sagas on which such claims were based. In the course of the 19th century, evidence for a Norse...
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Viking Age Greenland
Greenland was drawn into the Viking Age and settled by Norse Vikings in the late 980s CE, their presence there lasting into the 15th century CE. Despite its ice-riddled geography, the Norse managed to carve out a living for themselves in...
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Definition
Vikings
The Vikings were originally diverse Scandinavian seafarers from Norway, Sweden, and Denmark (though other nationalities were later involved) whose raids and subsequent settlements significantly impacted the cultures of Europe and were felt...