EXPLORER

Erik the Red

950 - 1003

Photo of Erik the Red

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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 settlement in Greenland. He most likely earned the epithet "the Red" due to the color of his hair and beard. According to Icelandic sagas, he was born in the Jæren district of Rogaland, Norway, as the son of Thorvald Asvaldsson. Read more on Wikipedia

Since 2007, the English Wikipedia page of Erik the Red has received more than 2,012,099 page views. His biography is available in 60 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 57 in 2019). Erik the Red is the 17th most popular explorer (up from 22nd in 2019), the 10th most popular biography from Norway (up from 12th 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

  • 2.0M

    Page Views (PV)

  • 81.34

    Historical Popularity Index (HPI)

  • 60

    Languages Editions (L)

  • 9.06

    Effective Languages (L*)

  • 3.29

    Coefficient of Variation (CV)

Page views of Erik the Reds by language


Among EXPLORERS

Among explorers, Erik the Red ranks 17 out of 405. Before him are Zheng He, Francis Drake, Francisco Pizarro, Prince Henry the Navigator, Jacques Cartier, and Fridtjof Nansen. After him are David Livingstone, Jacques Cousteau, Xuanzang, Leif Erikson, Thor Heyerdahl, and Abel Tasman.

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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, Leo the Deacon, Maslama al-Majriti, Boleslaus III, Duke of Bohemia, Bernard I, Duke of Saxony, Olof Björnsson, Abhinavagupta, Sarolt, and Mariam al-Asturlabi. Among people deceased in 1003, Erik the Red ranks 1. After him are Pope Sylvester II, Pope John XVII, Gregory of Narek, Athanasius the Athonite, Rozala of Italy, At-Ta'i, Herman II, Duke of Swabia, and Vladivoj, Duke of Bohemia.

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 10 out of 735. Before him are Roald Amundsen (1872), Harald Fairhair (850), Knut Hamsun (1859), Rollo (846), Harald V of Norway (1937), and Fridtjof Nansen (1861). After him are Anni-Frid Lyngstad (1945), Thor Heyerdahl (1914), Niels Henrik Abel (1802), Olaf Tryggvason (963), Olaf II of Norway (993), and Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson (1832).

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), Ohthere of Hålogaland (900), Otto Sverdrup (1854), Naddodd (900), Oscar Wisting (1871), Carsten Borchgrevink (1864), Hjalmar Johansen (1867), and Knut Haugland (1917).

Norwegian born Explorers

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