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EXPLORER

Erik the Red

950 - 1003

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Erik Thorvaldsson (c. 950 – c. 1003), known as Erik the Red, was a Norse explorer, described in medieval and Icelandic saga sources as having founded the first European settlement in Greenland. Erik most likely earned the epithet "the Red" due to the color of his hair and beard. According to Icelandic sagas, Erik was born in the Jæren district of Rogaland, Norway, as the son of Thorvald Asvaldsson; to which Thorvald would later be banished from Norway, and would sail west to Iceland with Erik and his family. Read more on Wikipedia

Since 2007, the English Wikipedia page of Erik the Red has received more than 3,373,561 page views. His biography is available in 60 different languages on Wikipedia. Erik the Red is the 18th most popular explorer (down from 17th in 2019), the 12th most popular biography from Norway (down from 11th in 2019) and the 3rd most popular Norwegian Explorer.

Erik the Red is most famous for being the father of Leif Erikson, the first European to set foot in North America.

Memorability Metrics

  • 3.4M

    Page Views (PV)

  • 75.07

    Historical Popularity Index (HPI)

  • 60

    Languages Editions (L)

  • 8.79

    Effective Languages (L*)

  • 3.58

    Coefficient of Variation (CV)

Page views of Erik the Reds by language


Among EXPLORERS

Among explorers, Erik the Red ranks 18 out of 405. Before him are Francis Drake, Francisco Pizarro, Abel Tasman, David Livingstone, Prince Henry the Navigator, and Fridtjof Nansen. After him are Xuanzang, Jacques Cousteau, Pedro Álvares Cabral, Jacques Cartier, Leif Erikson, and Vitus Bering.

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Contemporaries

Among people born in 950, Erik the Red ranks 1. After him are Pope John XVII, Adelaide of Aquitaine, Ibn Yunus, Maslama al-Majriti, Leo the Deacon, Abhinavagupta, Boleslaus III, Duke of Bohemia, Bernard I, Duke of Saxony, Olof Björnsson, Mariam al-Asturlabi, and William I of Provence. Among people deceased in 1003, Erik the Red ranks 2. Before him is Pope Sylvester II. After him are Pope John XVII, Gregory of Narek, Athanasius the Athonite, Rozala of Italy, At-Ta'i, Herman II, Duke of Swabia, Vladivoj, Duke of Bohemia, and Beatrice of France.

Others Born in 950

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Others Deceased in 1003

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In Norway

Among people born in Norway, Erik the Red ranks 12 out of 927. Before him are Harald V of Norway (1937), Knut Hamsun (1859), Anni-Frid Lyngstad (1945), Harald Fairhair (850), Rollo (846), and Fridtjof Nansen (1861). After him are Thor Heyerdahl (1914), Niels Henrik Abel (1802), Olaf II of Norway (993), Olaf Tryggvason (963), Trygve Lie (1896), and Queen Sonja of Norway (1937).

Others born in Norway

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Among EXPLORERS In Norway

Among explorers born in Norway, Erik the Red ranks 3. Before him are Roald Amundsen (1872) and Fridtjof Nansen (1861). After him are Thor Heyerdahl (1914), Ingólfr Arnarson (850), Otto Sverdrup (1854), Carsten Borchgrevink (1864), Hjalmar Johansen (1867), Naddodd (900), Oscar Wisting (1871), Helmer Hanssen (1870), and Ohthere of Hålogaland (900).

Norwegian born Explorers

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