The Vikings were seafaring Scandinavians who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided and traded from their Northern European homelands across wide areas of Europe, and explored westwards to Iceland, Greenland, and Vinland (North America). This period of Viking expansion, known as the Viking Age, forms a major part of medieval European, Russian, Baltic and Scandinavian history.
In the countries of Northern Europe, Vikings are synonymous with their longships, skilled seamanship, and influence on European history through trade, colonization, exploration, and warfare. The height of Viking expansion occurred during the Medieval Warm Period from about 950-1250 AD when favorable climatic conditions allowed Viking navigators to explore further than ever before.
The Vikings came from what is now modern-day Norway, Sweden and Denmark. They traveled great distances in their iconic longships, reaching as far as North America in the west, Russia in the east, Iceland in the north and North Africa in the south. Along the way, they raided and traded with many lands. They were feared for their ferocity in battle but also respected as great explorers, able traders and brilliant craftsmen.
So with this formidable reputation across the known world at the time, who could be considered the most successful Viking ever? There are many contenders from the pantheon of famous Vikings throughout the 8th-11th century Viking Age. Here we will explore some of the standout candidates and examine why they could be considered the most successful Viking in history.
Leif Erikson
Leif Erikson was an Icelandic explorer and is generally considered the first European to have set foot on continental North America, centuries ahead of Christopher Columbus. According to the Sagas of Icelanders, he established a Norse settlement at Vinland, tentatively identified with the Norse L’Anse aux Meadows on the northern tip of Newfoundland in modern-day Canada.
As the son of Erik the Red, Leif had Viking exploration in his blood. Around 1000 AD, Erik founded the first Norse colonies in Greenland, 500 years before other Europeans would arrive. Leif decided to explore further and retraced a route sailed by earlier Viking Bjarni Herjólfsson. Sailing west from Greenland, Leif came across three lands unknown to Europeans: Helluland (possibly Baffin Island), Markland (possibly Labrador) and Vinland (possibly Newfoundland).
Leif spent the winter in Vinland before returning to Greenland with news of his discovery far west over the Atlantic. While further attempts at colonization failed, Leif’s voyage more than 500 years before Columbus is undoubtedly one of the greatest feats in the Age of Discovery. As the first known European in the New World, Leif Erikson stands out as one of the most intrepid and successful Viking explorers.
Cnut the Great
Cnut the Great, also known as Canute, ruled an empire that spanned Scandinavia and the British Isles during the Viking Age. As King of Denmark, England, Norway and parts of Sweden at various points of his reign, Cnut was the most powerful North European ruler of his time.
Cnut was the younger son of Sweyn Forkbeard, King of Denmark. After his father’s death in 1014, Cnut’s brother Harald succeeded the Danish crown. But Cnut set off on military campaigns to claim England and Norway, becoming ruler of all three territories by 1028. His empire was the largest ever assembled by a Scandinavian king by that time.
As such a powerful sovereign, Cnut carried immense influence over 11th century northern Europe. His rule eased Viking raids that had previously plagued England. He also fostered trade and diplomatic ties between his three kingdoms. Cnut has been called the most effective king in Anglo-Saxon history, bringing stability to turbulent times. His legacy lived on even after his death in 1035, with the Norse kingdoms remaining deeply tied. For his peak power and rule over a vast Viking domain, Cnut the Great can be considered the most successful Viking from royalty.
Harald Hardrada
Harald Hardrada was the most martially able Viking leader of the Middle Ages. After a long military career, he became King of Norway and led a failed invasion of England in 1066 before his death at the Battle of Stamford Bridge.
In his youth, Harald participated in campaigns around Europe and the Mediterranean while an exile from Norway. Having amassed considerable battle experience and wealth, he returned to claim the Norwegian throne in 1046. After overcoming rivals and consolidating power at home, the ambitious Harald turned his sights on England. Despite a giant Norwegian army, Harald was defeated by English forces under King Harold Godwinson in September 1066, just weeks before William the Conqueror’s successful Norman invasion.
Harald’s early reign restored political stability to Norway while his exploits abroad gave him reputation as the “Last Great Viking”. As a warrior, Harald exemplified the Viking fighter ethos perhaps more than any monarch. His invasion of England showed the global reach and military might of Vikings even in their twilight years. And Harald’s early naval bombardment of England presaged gunpowder warfare. For his combat leadership and embodiment of the classic Viking warrior, Harald Hardrada stands out as the most successful fighting Viking of his day.
Erik the Red
As previously mentioned, Erik the Red was the founder of the first Scandinavian settlements in Greenland. He embodies the Viking spirit of exploration and colonization that drove their expansion across northern Europe and beyond.
According to Icelandic sagas, Erik the Red earned his nickname most likely for his reddish hair and beard, but also his hot temper. Around 980 AD he was exiled from Iceland and sailed west, becoming one of the first Scandinavian explorers of the north Atlantic Ocean. After discovering an uninhabited, green land mass, Erik returned to Iceland to gather Viking settlers before founding colonies on Greenland.
The Iceland sagas praise Erik as an intrepid pioneer and able leader. Settlements he established on Greenland survived for centuries, lasting until the 15th century before being abandoned during a cold period. For his role spurring Viking migration over the ocean to new lands, Erik the Red can be considered the most successful Viking colonizer.
Rurik
While Viking expansion is associated with Western Europe, Scandinavian adventurers also left their mark on Eastern Europe. According to the Primary Chronicle of Russia, Rurik was one of the first Viking rulers in Slavic lands. He founded the Rurik Dynasty which ruled the Kievan Rus’ – the first major East Slavic state.
Rurik led a group of Vikings who were invited by quarreling Slavic and Finnish tribes along the Volkhov River to bring order to the region, centered around modern day Novgorod. He ruled Novgorod before passing his domain to Oleg who would conquer Kiev from which Kievan Rus’ derived its name. The Rurik Dynasty would rule this proto-Russia until 1598 lasting for over 700 years, one of the longest dynastic tenures in world history.
As the Viking conqueror and first ruler of the lands that would become Russia, Rurik had enormous impact on Eastern Europe. The Kievan Rus’ he helped establish ushered in the local adoption of Christianity and development of a Slavic literary culture. For spawning centuries of Viking rule and influence over Russia, Rurik emerges as the most important Viking in Eastern Europe.
Key Comparisons
To summarize the cases for the most successful Viking:
- Leif Erikson – First known European explorer of North America
- Cnut the Great – Ruled England, Denmark, Norway at Viking Empire’s peak
- Harald Hardrada – Greatest Viking warrior of his age; invaded England in 1066
- Erik the Red – Founded first Norse colonies on Greenland
- Rurik – Established first Viking rule over proto-Russia
Each of these famous Vikings has a viable claim as the most successful in a different respect – whether exploration, conquest, military prowess, or colonial settlement. Their achievements and exploits cover wide geographical territory from North America to Eastern Europe and capture the breadth of Viking expansion during the 8th-11th centuries AD.
To better compare their claims, here is an overview table:
| Viking | Accomplishment | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Leif Erikson | Discovered North America | Extended Viking exploration range; major feat of navigation |
| Cnut the Great | Ruled England, Denmark and Norway | United major Scandinavian kingdoms at empire’s peak |
| Harald Hardrada | Greatest Viking warrior of era | Epitomized classic Viking fighting spirit |
| Erik the Red | Founded Greenland colonies | Spurred trans-oceanic Viking expansion |
| Rurik | Established Viking rule over proto-Russia | Shaped Eastern European history for centuries |
Conclusion
After reviewing their accomplishments, I would argue Leif Erikson has the strongest claim as the most successful Viking ever. His discovery of the North American coast was one of the greatest feats of exploration in history. He sailed leagues farther west into unknown ocean than any European before. The colonies established by Erik and his father in Greenland provided the launch point for Leif’s intrepid voyage across the northern Atlantic. His landfall in North America – centuries ahead of other Europeans – stands out as the most significant Viking exploration.
Of course, you can make reasonable cases for Cnut the Great due to his formidable empire, Harald Hardrada for his martial prowess, Erik the Red for his Greenland colonies, or Rurik for creating centuries of Viking influence over the emerging Russian states. But for the enormity of his discovery alone, Leif Erikson takes the distinction as the most accomplished Viking for his pioneering journey to North America so long before the world knew of its existence. His voyage represents the pinnacle of Viking navigational skills and exploratory spirit that drove their Age of Expansion.