Erik the Red (A.D. 950?-1000?) was a Viking explorer who colonized Greenland. His name was Erik Thorvaldson, but he was called Erik the Red because of his red hair. His name is also spelled Eric or Eirik.
Erik was born in Jaeren, in southern Norway. He and his father left Norway because one or both of them had been involved in some killings. Erik and his father then moved to Iceland. After his father died, Erik became involved in several more quarrels and killings. In 982, he was exiled from Iceland for three years. During his exile, Erik explored the waters west of Iceland for land that the Icelander Gunnbjorn Ulfsson had sighted about A.D. 900. Erik reached Greenland and spent the rest of his exile there. He then returned to Iceland. Erik named the new land Greenland to attract people to it.
About 985, Erik sailed for Greenland with 25 ships of colonists, but only 14 of the vessels completed the voyage. Two settlements, with a total of about 450 people, were established—the Eastern Settlement on the southwest coast and the Western Settlement about 300 miles (480 kilometers) north. Erik lived in the Eastern Settlement at Brattahlid, in Eiriksfjord, near what is now Qaqortoq. He was the principal leader of both communities. The settlers farmed the land; raised cattle, hogs, and sheep; and hunted bears, caribou, walruses, and other animals. Erik’s wife, Thjodhild, converted to Christianity and built the first Christian church in Greenland. Erik himself did not adopt Christianity.
Erik planned to lead an expedition west from Greenland to find more land. But he refused to make the journey after falling from his horse on the way to his ship. Erik feared the accident was a sign of misfortune. About 1000, his son Leif Eriksson led what was probably the first voyage to the mainland of North America.
Most information about Erik the Red comes from two Icelandic stories written in the late 1100’s or the 1200’s, The Saga of Erik the Red and The Saga of the Greenlanders. The sagas were based on oral traditions nearly 200 years old. During the 1960’s, archaeologists uncovered several stone and turf buildings from the early colonies. They included Erik’s house at Brattahlid and Thjodhild’s church, about 600 feet (183 meters) away.
See also Greenland (History); Leif Eriksson; Vikings (The Norwegian Vikings).
