Harald I Fairhair
Harald I Fairhair left an indelible mark on Norwegian history. After all, he was the one who founded the Norwegian kingdom. Harald ruled from 872 until 933, when his son Erik Bloodaxe succeeded him after his death.
Harald inherited a small kingdom named Vestfold, but that evidently wasn't enough for him. Over several years, he annexed other small Norwegian kingdoms to his realm, both through warfare and cunning intrigues. In 872, Harald decisively crushed his opposition in the naval Battle of Hafrsfjord, after which he proclaimed himself the king of a unified Norway.
Although many of his opponents survived, they never again managed to assemble a military force large enough to challenge the newly crowned king. Consequently, Harald's enemies emigrated en masse from Norway. A significant portion of the opposition settled in Iceland, effectively initiating the colonization of the island.
Erik the Red
Erik the Red ranks among the greatest explorers in Nordic history. Born in Norway around 950, he didn't stay there long; his family had to emigrate to Iceland. There, he settled down, married, and fathered four sons. However, Erik was not the most exemplary citizen. Linked to several murders, he was forced into exile.
But this did not break him—quite the opposite. Within three years of his banishment from Iceland, he managed to discover and partially settle Greenland. Upon his return to Iceland, he encouraged other adventurers to colonize the newly discovered island.
Erik wasn't the only explorer in his family. His son, Leif Eriksson, went even further, reaching the American continent.
Ragnar Lodbrok
Ragnar Lothbrok is by far the most famous Viking leader ever, thanks in part to the TV series Vikings. This man was said to have conducted brutal raids into England and the Frankish Empire during the 9th century AD, acquiring treasures of immeasurable value. He ultimately met his end in a pit of snakes, where he was thrown by the Northumbrian king.
However, Ragnar most likely never existed, even though Vikings did carry out raids against the English and the Franks during the time of his supposed exploits.
Even if this legendary warrior is probably just a myth, he still deserves his place in this ranking. After all, he is unquestionably the most famous Viking ever.