Qassiarsuk – Erik the Red’s former farm in Greenland

Erik the Red

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This article is about the Viking explorer. For other uses, see Erik the Red (disambiguation).

Erik Thorvaldsson (Old Norse: Eiríkr Þorvaldsson; 950 – c. 1003), known as Erik the Red (Old Norse: Eiríkr hinn rauði^[1]), is remembered in medieval and Icelandic saga sources as having founded the first Norse settlement in Greenland. The Icelandic tradition indicates that he was born in the Jæren district of Rogaland, Norway, as the son of Þorvald Ásvaldsson, he therefore also appears, patronymically, as Erik Thorvaldsson (Eiríkr Þorvaldsson). The appellation "the Red" most likely refers to his hair color^[2] and the color of his beard.^[3] Leif Ericson, the famousIcelandic explorer, was Erik's son
.