Historic figures of the Viking Age

The Viking Age (roughly 793–1066 AD) featured influential Norse figures known for exploration, conquest, and cultural impact. Key figures include Erik the Red, who founded Greenland; Leif Erikson, credited with reaching North America centuries before Columbus; and Ragnar Lothbrok, a legendary warrior and ruler whose stories inspired sagas. Other notable figures were King Harald Fairhair, unifier of Norway, and Olaf Tryggvason, who spread Christianity. These individuals shaped Viking society’s expansion, culture, and influence across Europe, North Atlantic, and beyond, leaving a lasting legacy through their confrontations, settlements, and mythic stories.