Norse explorer (approx 970-approx. 1020). Widely considered the original
European discoverer of
North America. He was probably born in
Norway, and traveled with his father,
Erik the Red, to colonize
Greenland around 985. He had a falling-out with his
father after Leif converted to
Christianity -- Leif's
mother converted, and Erik
banished her from the
household.
In an effort to mend his
relationship with his father, Leif undertook a
voyage to the
west, making
landfall at several locations, including
Baffin Island,
Labrador,
Belle Isle, and
Newfoundland, which Leif named "
Vinland." He and his crew built a
settlement for the
winter, then returned to Greenland in the
spring. On the way home, Leif spotted some men
shipwrecked on a reef, earning the nickname "
Leif the Lucky." When he got
home, Leif learned that his father had died, leaving Leif as the
ruler of Greenland. He left future
exploration to others, including his
son.
Norse
settlements in Vinland may have lasted as late as 1350, when attacks from the
natives (called "
Skraelings," or "
Screechers" by the
Vikings) forced the
colonists away.
Research from GURPS Who's Who, compiled by Phil Masters, "Leif Eriksson" by Brian C. Smithson, pp. 42-43.