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'''Eric the Red''' was a 10th century [[Viking]]. He was expelled from [[Norway]] on charges of murder and took his family away to [[Iceland]], which had been settled by Vikings about a hundred years earlier. After his involvement in several killings there, he was banished and went to [[Greenland]], where he started the first successful colony in that land around the year 985. Eric is best known as the father of [[Leif Erikson]], who started the first [[Europe]]an colony in [[Americas|America]] around the year 1000, although it ultimately lasted only a few decades.

'''Eric the Red''' was a 10th century [[Viking]]. He was expelled from [[Norway]] on charges of murder and took his family away to [[Iceland]], which had been settled by Vikings about a hundred years earlier. After his involvement in several killings there, he was banished and went to [[Greenland]], where he started the first successful colony in that land around the year 985. Eric is best known as the father of [[Leif Erikson]], who started the first [[Europe]]an colony in [[Americas|America]] around the year 1000, although it ultimately lasted only a few decades.

Eric's interesting name is in the style of his times. People in that culture often assumed descriptive names, along with a "patronymic" name identifying the father. Eric's "real" name was Eric Thorvaldsson, because his father's name was Thorvald. This style of naming persists in Iceland today. But Eric had very red [[hair]], so people called him "Eric the Red" most of the time.  

Eric's interesting name is in the style of his times. People in that culture often assumed descriptive names, along with a "patronymic" name identifying the father. Eric's "real" name was Eric Thorvaldsson, because his father's name was Thorvald. This style of naming persists in Iceland today. But Eric had very [[Red Hair|red hair]], so people called him "Eric the Red" most of the time.  

Eric was a [[heathen]] all his life, although his son Leif, and probably others of his family, converted to [[Christianity]].

Eric was a [[heathen]] all his life, although his son Leif, and probably others of his family, converted to [[Christianity]].