Leif Erikson died sometime between 1019 and 1025, but the exact cause of his death is unknown. He was a Norse explorer and is considered the first European to voyage to North America. He is believed to have landed in present-day Nova Scotia, which he named Vinland.
Much of Leif Erikson's life is known through the Icelandic Sagas. He was born around 970 in Iceland and was the son of Erik the Red, who founded the Norse Colonies in Greenland. Leif Erikson traveled to Norway in 1000 and converted to Christianity there. Erikson was sent to Greenland to convert the inhabitants and during his voyage home, he is believed to have sailed off course, ending up in Nova Scotia.
