The ancient rulers of Greenland were called paramount chieftains.

Among the island nation's chieftains were:

• Erik the Red, or Eirikr Thorvaldsson, the nation's first chieftain and its first settler, began rule in 985.
• Leif Ericson, likely the first European to set foot in North America
• Thorkell Ericsson succeeded his father, Leif, sometime after 1018.