First Viking Settlement in Greenland by Erik the Red

Around 985 CE, Erik Thorvaldsson — known as Erik the Red — led a fleet of 25 ships carrying approximately 500 Norse colonists from Iceland to Greenland's southwest coast. Only 14 ships completed the crossing. The settlers established two main colonies: the Eastern Settlement near modern Qaqortoq and the Western Settlement near present-day Nuuk. Erik built his estate at Brattahlid along Eriksfjord. He had named the land "Greenland" to attract settlers after being exiled from Iceland for manslaughter. The colonies grew to roughly 5,000 inhabitants and persisted for nearly five centuries.