Leif Eriksson (Old Norse: Leifr hinn Heppni) is the son of Erik the Red and is a Viking explorer. He is the half-brother of Freydís Eiríksdóttir.
Biography
Early Life
Leif Eriksson is a Greenlander who was raised on the outer fringes of the known world. His family is tightly-knit and steeped in the old pagan beliefs.
Season 1
Leif, Freydis, and their crew have spent five weeks traveling on the open ocean from Greenland to Kattegat on a mission of revenge. Off the coast of Kattegat a giant storm occurs. Thanks to Leif's excellent captaining skills and quick thinking, their ship is the only one to make it through. Hundreds of Vikings are killed and many ships are destroyed.
Leif kills several men in a grief-induced berserker rage over the death of Liv.
Season 2
Coming soon...
Personality
Leif is incredibly loyal to his family, especially his sister Freydis. He is an intrepid and fearless sailor and physically tough. Leif has a troubled relationship with his father who is known for being violent. Leif is adamant that he is not like his father as he does not needlessly kill people. He is determined to step out of the shadow of his father. Leif is courageous and brave without needing to brag or show off to others. He is confident in himself and his abilities. His humble attitude makes him different from the typical Viking warrior. He wants to be thoughtful and controlled, but deep down he has the same temper as his sister and father.
Leif undergoes a crisis of faith with his pagan beliefs. He is visibly uncomfortable with human sacrifice and shy about claims regarding the gods. Leif's reluctance to fully believe in the Aesir results in him not being able to reassure a dying Liv that they will meet again in Valhalla before she dies.
Relationships
Freydís Eiríksdóttir
Coming soon...
Harald Sigurdsson
Leif and Harald become quick friends. Harald is impressed by Leif's fighting skills and by his willingness to avoid killing. Leif is impressed by Harald's leadership skills and charisma. Their raid to England only strengthens their bond, and they view each other as brothers.
Liv
Coming soon...
Mariam
Leif and Mariam fall in love, despite the fact that Mariam is dying of a terminal illness. Leif is impressed by Mariam's wealth of knowledge, and grateful to her for teaching him to read and write and how to speak Arabic. Mariam helps Leif move past his grief over Liv's death. As Leif explains to Harald, Greenland is a hard place to live and requires the people to "be more animal than man." Mariam has shown him "a way of being that is beyond that. A world of thought and ideas." Mariam is heartbroken that she is going to die because she wants to live and she wants to have more time to be with Leif. Leif holds Mariam as she takes her last breaths, and Mariam leaves him her home and all its belongings in Constantinople.
In History
Leif is based on Leif Erikson, the Norse explorer from Iceland who is thought to have been the first European to have set foot on continental North America. The historical Leif Erikson converts to Christianity while in Norway, and then leads missionary efforts to Greenland with mixed success. Unlike in the series, there is no recorded history of Leif Eriksson ever spending time in Constantinople.
Trivia
- Leif Eriksson was actually born fifty years before Harald Sigurdsson.
Appearances
| The Greenlanders | Viking | The Marshes | The Bridge |
| Miracle | The Last Daughter of Uppsala | Choices | The End of the Beginning |
| The Web of Fate | Towers of Faith | Pieces of the Gods | The Thaw |
| Birth and Rebirth | Leap of Faith | Pecheneg | The Reckoning |