![The body of Leo V is dragged to the Hippodrome through the Skyla Gate](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/47/The_body_of_Leo_V_is_dragged_to_the_Hippodrome_through_the_Skyla_Gate.jpg)
The Varangian Guard ( el, Τάγμα τῶν Βαράγγων, ''Tágma tōn Varángōn'') was an elite unit of the
Byzantine Army from the tenth to the fourteenth century who served as personal bodyguards to the
Byzantine emperors
This is a list of the Byzantine emperors from the foundation of Constantinople in 330 AD, which marks the conventional start of the Eastern Roman Empire, to its fall to the Ottoman Empire in 1453 AD. Only the emperors who were recognized as ...
. The Varangian Guard was known for being primarily composed of recruits from northern Europe, including mainly
Norsemen
The Norsemen (or Norse people) were a North Germanic ethnolinguistic group of the Early Middle Ages, during which they spoke the Old Norse language. The language belongs to the North Germanic branch of the Indo-European languages and is the pr ...
from Scandinavia but also
Anglo-Saxons from England. The recruitment of distant foreigners from outside Byzantium to serve as the emperor's personal guard was pursued as a deliberate policy, as they lacked local political loyalties and could be counted upon to suppress revolts by disloyal Byzantine factions.
The
Rus' provided the earliest members of the Varangian Guard. They were in Byzantine service from as early as 874. The Guard was first formally constituted under Emperor
Basil II
Basil II Porphyrogenitus ( gr, Βασίλειος Πορφυρογέννητος ;) and, most often, the Purple-born ( gr, ὁ πορφυρογέννητος, translit=ho porphyrogennetos).. 958 – 15 December 1025), nicknamed the Bulgar S ...
in 988, following the
Christianization of Kievan Rus'
Christianization ( or Christianisation) is to make Christian; to imbue with Christian principles; to become Christian. It can apply to the conversion of an individual, a practice, a place or a whole society. It began in the Roman Empire, conti ...
by
Vladimir I of Kiev
Vladimir I Sviatoslavich or Volodymyr I Sviatoslavych ( orv, Володимѣръ Свѧтославичь, ''Volodiměrъ Svętoslavičь'';, ''Uladzimir'', russian: Владимир, ''Vladimir'', uk, Володимир, ''Volodymyr''. Se ...
. Vladimir, who had recently usurped power in
Kiev with an army of
Varangian
The Varangians (; non, Væringjar; gkm, Βάραγγοι, ''Várangoi'';[Varangian]
" Online Etymo ...
warriors, sent 6,000 men to Basil as part of a military assistance agreement. Basil's distrust of the native
Byzantine
The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...
guardsmen, whose loyalties often shifted with fatal consequences, as well as the proven loyalty of the Varangians, many of whom had previously served in Byzantium, led the Emperor to employ them as his personal guardsmen.
Immigrants from
Scandinavia
Scandinavia; Sámi languages: /. ( ) is a subregion in Northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. In English usage, ''Scandinavia'' most commonly refers to Denmark, Norway, and Swe ...
(predominantly immigrants from Sweden, but also elements from Denmark and Norway) kept an almost entirely Norse cast to the organization until the late 11th century. According to the late Swedish historian
Alf Henrikson
Alf Ragnar Sten Henrikson (9 July 1905 in Huskvarna – 9 May 1995 in Södra Ängby) was a Swedish writer, poet and translator, known for his interest in language and for his broad general knowledge. He wrote a number of books about popular sc ...
in his book ''Svensk Historia'' (''History of Sweden''), the
Norse Varangian guardsmen were recognized by long hair, a red ruby set in the left ear and ornamented dragons sewn on their chainmail shirts. During these years,
Swedish
Swedish or ' may refer to:
Anything from or related to Sweden, a country in Northern Europe. Or, specifically:
* Swedish language, a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Sweden and Finland
** Swedish alphabet, the official alphabet used by ...
men left to enlist in the Byzantine Varangian Guard in such numbers that a medieval Swedish law,
Västgötalagen
( or ) or the Westrogothic law is the oldest Swedish text written in Latin script and the oldest of all Swedish provincial laws.The Scanian law is older, but Scania was not incorporated into Sweden until late 17th century, and it is thus count ...
, from
Västergötland
Västergötland (), also known as West Gothland or the Latinized version Westrogothia in older literature, is one of the 25 traditional non-administrative provinces of Sweden (''landskap'' in Swedish), situated in the southwest of Sweden.
Väs ...
declared no one could inherit while staying in "Greece"—the then Scandinavian term for the
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...
—to stop the emigration, especially as two other European courts simultaneously also recruited Scandinavians:
[Pritsak 1981:386] Kievan Rus'
Kievan Rusʹ, also known as Kyivan Rusʹ ( orv, , Rusĭ, or , , ; Old Norse: ''Garðaríki''), was a state in Eastern and Northern Europe from the late 9th to the mid-13th century.John Channon & Robert Hudson, ''Penguin Historical Atlas of ...
c. 980–1060 and London 1013–1051 (the
Þingalið).
Composed primarily of Norsemen and Rus for the first 100 years, the Guard began to see increased numbers of Anglo-Saxons after the Norman conquest of England. By the time of the Emperor
Alexios Komnenos in the late 11th century, the Varangian Guard was largely recruited from Anglo-Saxons and "others who had suffered at the hands of the
Vikings
Vikings ; non, víkingr is the modern name given to seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway and Sweden),
who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded and ...
and their cousins the
Normans
The Normans ( Norman: ''Normaunds''; french: Normands; la, Nortmanni/Normanni) were a population arising in the medieval Duchy of Normandy from the intermingling between Norse Viking settlers and indigenous West Franks and Gallo-Romans. ...
". The Anglo-Saxons and other Germanic peoples shared with the Vikings a tradition of faithful (to death if necessary) oath-bound service, and the Norman invasion of England resulted in many fighting men who had lost their lands and former masters and were looking for positions elsewhere.
The Varangian Guard not only provided security for the Byzantine emperors, but also participated in many wars, often playing a decisive role, since they were usually deployed at critical moments of a battle. By the late 13th century, Varangians were mostly ethnically assimilated by the
Byzantine Greeks
The Byzantine Greeks were the Greek-speaking Eastern Romans of Orthodox Christianity throughout Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages. They were the main inhabitants of the lands of the Byzantine Empire (Eastern Roman Empire), of Constantinople ...
, though the Guard remained in existence until at least mid-14th century. In 1400, there were still some people identifying themselves as "Varangians" in
Constantinople
la, Constantinopolis ota, قسطنطينيه
, alternate_name = Byzantion (earlier Greek name), Nova Roma ("New Rome"), Miklagard/Miklagarth (Old Norse), Tsargrad ( Slavic), Qustantiniya ( Arabic), Basileuousa ("Queen of Cities"), Megalopolis ( ...
.
History
![A Thracesian woman kills a Varangian](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bf/A_Thracesian_woman_kills_a_Varangian.jpg)
The earliest members of the Varangian guard came from
Kievan Rus'
Kievan Rusʹ, also known as Kyivan Rusʹ ( orv, , Rusĭ, or , , ; Old Norse: ''Garðaríki''), was a state in Eastern and Northern Europe from the late 9th to the mid-13th century.John Channon & Robert Hudson, ''Penguin Historical Atlas of ...
. A treaty between Rus' and the Byzantine empire under
Basil I
Basil I, called the Macedonian ( el, Βασίλειος ὁ Μακεδών, ''Basíleios ō Makedṓn'', 811 – 29 August 886), was a Byzantine Emperor who reigned from 867 to 886. Born a lowly peasant in the theme of Macedonia, he rose in the ...
was agreed in 874 after a period of hostilities. A clause in the treaty obliged Rus' to provide men for Byzantine service. Renewed hostilities between 907 and 911 ended with a new treaty under which any Rus' who chose could serve Byzantium as a right.
The scholarly consensus is that the
Rus' people
The Rusʹ (Old East Slavic: Рѹсь; Belarusian, Russian, Rusyn, and Ukrainian: Русь; Old Norse: '' Garðar''; Greek: Ῥῶς, ''Rhos'') were a people in early medieval eastern Europe. The scholarly consensus holds that they were or ...
originated in what is currently coastal
eastern Sweden around the eighth century and that their name has the same origin as
Roslagen
Roslagen is the name of the coastal areas of Uppland province in Sweden, which also constitutes the northern part of the Stockholm archipelago.
Historically, it was the name for all the coastal areas of the Baltic Sea, including the eastern p ...
in Sweden (with the older name being ''
Roden
Roden is a name of Germanic origin, originally meaning "red valley" or an anglicization of the Gaelic name "O'Rodain". It may refer to:
Places
* Roden, Bavaria, a town in the Main-Spessart district of Bavaria, Germany
* Roden, Netherlands, a tow ...
''). According to the prevalent theory, the name ''Rus'', like the Proto-Finnic name for Sweden (''*Ruotsi''), is derived from an
Old Norse
Old Norse, Old Nordic, or Old Scandinavian, is a stage of development of North Germanic dialects before their final divergence into separate Nordic languages. Old Norse was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and their overseas settlemen ...
term for "the men who row" (''rods-'') as rowing was the main method of navigating the rivers of Eastern Europe, and that it could be linked to the Swedish coastal area of Roslagen (''Rus-law'') or ''Roden'', as it was known in earlier times.
[Stefan Brink (2008), "Who were the Vikings?", in Stefan Brink and Neil Price (eds.), ]
The Viking World
', Abingdon: Routledge, pp. 4–10 (pp. 6–7). The name ''Rus'' would then have the same origin as the
Finnish
Finnish may refer to:
* Something or someone from, or related to Finland
* Culture of Finland
* Finnish people or Finns, the primary ethnic group in Finland
* Finnish language, the national language of the Finnish people
* Finnish cuisine
See also ...
and
Estonian names for Sweden: ''Ruotsi'' and ''Rootsi''.
["Russ, adj. and n."](_blank)
''Oxford English Dictionary'', Oxford University Press, June 2018. Accessed 25 July 2018.
As early as 911, Varangians are mentioned as fighting as mercenaries for the Byzantines. About 700 Varangians served along with Dalmatians as marines in Byzantine naval expeditions against the
Emirate of Crete
The Emirate of Crete ( ar, إقريطش, Iqrīṭish or , ''Iqrīṭiya''; gr, Κρήτη, Krētē) was an Islamic state that existed on the Mediterranean island of Crete from the late 820s to the reconquest of the island by the Byzantine Empi ...
in 902 and a force of 629 returned to Crete under
Constantine Porphyrogenitus
Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus (; 17 May 905 – 9 November 959) was the fourth Emperor of the Macedonian dynasty of the Byzantine Empire, reigning from 6 June 913 to 9 November 959. He was the son of Emperor Leo VI and his fourth wife, Zoe Ka ...
in 949. A unit of 415 Varangians was involved in the Italian expedition of 936. It is also recorded that there were Varangian contingents among the forces that fought the Arabs in Syria in 955. During this period, the Varangian mercenaries were included in the ''
Great Companions'' (Gk. ).
In 988,
Basil II
Basil II Porphyrogenitus ( gr, Βασίλειος Πορφυρογέννητος ;) and, most often, the Purple-born ( gr, ὁ πορφυρογέννητος, translit=ho porphyrogennetos).. 958 – 15 December 1025), nicknamed the Bulgar S ...
requested military assistance from
Vladimir I of Kiev
Vladimir I Sviatoslavich or Volodymyr I Sviatoslavych ( orv, Володимѣръ Свѧтославичь, ''Volodiměrъ Svętoslavičь'';, ''Uladzimir'', russian: Владимир, ''Vladimir'', uk, Володимир, ''Volodymyr''. Se ...
to help defend his throne. In compliance with the treaty made by his father after the
Siege of Dorostolon
The Battle of Dorostopol was fought in 971 between the Byzantine Empire and forces of Kievan Rus'. The Byzantines, led by John I Tzimiskes, were victorious.
Background
During the course of the Rus'-Bulgarian war, Svyatoslav I of Kiev overran t ...
(971), Vladimir sent 6,000 men to Basil. Vladimir took the opportunity to rid himself of his most unruly warriors which in any case he was unable to pay. This is the presumptive date for the formal, permanent institution of an elite guard. In exchange for the warriors, Vladimir was given Basil's sister,
Anna
Anna may refer to:
People Surname and given name
* Anna (name)
Mononym
* Anna the Prophetess, in the Gospel of Luke
* Anna (wife of Artabasdos) (fl. 715–773)
* Anna (daughter of Boris I) (9th–10th century)
* Anna (Anisia) (fl. 1218 to 12 ...
, in marriage. Vladimir also agreed to convert to Christianity and to
bring his people into the Christian faith.
In 989, these Varangians, led by Basil II himself, landed at Chrysopolis to defeat the rebel general
Bardas Phokas. On the field of battle, Phokas died of a stroke in full view of his opponent; upon the death of their leader, Phokas' troops turned and fled. The brutality of the Varangians was noted when they pursued the fleeing army and "cheerfully hacked them to pieces".
These men formed the nucleus of the Varangian Guard, which saw extensive service in
southern Italy in the eleventh century, as the
Normans
The Normans ( Norman: ''Normaunds''; french: Normands; la, Nortmanni/Normanni) were a population arising in the medieval Duchy of Normandy from the intermingling between Norse Viking settlers and indigenous West Franks and Gallo-Romans. ...
and
Lombards
The Lombards () or Langobards ( la, Langobardi) were a Germanic people who ruled most of the Italian Peninsula from 568 to 774.
The medieval Lombard historian Paul the Deacon wrote in the '' History of the Lombards'' (written between 787 an ...
worked to extinguish Byzantine authority there. In 1018, Basil II received a request from his
catepan of Italy
The Catepanate (or Catapanate) of Italy ( el, ''Katepaníkion Italías'') was a province of the Byzantine Empire from 965 until 1071. At its greatest extent, it comprised mainland Italy south of a line drawn from Monte Gargano to the Gulf of Sa ...
,
Basil Boioannes
Basil Boioannes ( grc-gre, Βασίλειος Βοϊωάννης, Basíleios Boïōánnēs, ; la, Basilius Bugianus, ), in Italian called it, Bugiano, label=none, i=no (), was the Byzantine catapan of Italy (1017 – 1027 Chalandon, Ferdinand. '' ...
, for reinforcements to put down the
Lombard revolt of
Melus of Bari
Melus (also ''Milus'' or ''Meles'', ''Melo'' in Italian) (died 1020) was a Lombard nobleman from the Apulian town of Bari, whose ambition to carve for himself an autonomous territory from the Byzantine catapanate of Italy in the early eleven ...
. A detachment of the Varangian Guard was sent and in the
Battle of Cannae, the Byzantines achieved a decisive victory.
The Varangians also participated in the partial reconquest of
Sicily
(man) it, Siciliana (woman)
, population_note =
, population_blank1_title =
, population_blank1 =
, demographics_type1 = Ethnicity
, demographics1_footnotes =
, demographi ...
from the Arabs under
George Maniakes
George Maniakes (, transliterated as Georgios Maniaces, Maniakis, or Maniaches, , ; died 1043) was a prominent general of the Byzantine Empire of Byzantine Greek origin
during the 11 ...
in 1038. Here, they fought alongside Normans recently arrived in Italy seeking adventure and Lombards from Byzantine-held
Apulia. A prominent member of the Guard at this time was
Harald Hardrada, later
King of Norway
The Norwegian monarch is the head of state of Norway, which is a constitutional and hereditary monarchy with a parliamentary system. The Norwegian monarchy can trace its line back to the reign of Harald Fairhair and the previous petty kingd ...
as Harald III (1046–1066). However, when Maniakes ostracised the Lombards by publicly humiliating their leader,
Arduin
''Arduin'' is a fictional universe and fantasy role-playing system created in the mid-1970s by David A. Hargrave. It was the first published "cross-genre" fantasy RPG, with everything from interstellar wars to horror and historical drama, altho ...
, the Lombards deserted and the Normans and Varangians followed them.
Not long after, the catepan
Michael Doukeianos had a force of Varangians stationed at
Bari. On 16 March 1041, they were called up to fight the Normans near
Venosa
Venosa ( Lucano: ) is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Potenza, in the southern Italian region of Basilicata, in the Vulture area. It is bounded by the comuni of Barile, Ginestra, Lavello, Maschito, Montemilone, Palazzo San Gervas ...
; many drowned in the subsequent retreat across the
Ofanto
The Ofanto (), known in ancient times as Aufidus or Canna, is a river in southern Italy that flows through the regions of Campania, Basilicata, and Apulia, into the Gulf of Manfredonia near Barletta.
Geography
The river's source is on the Irpi ...
. In September,
Exaugustus Boioannes Exaugustus Boiοannes ( it, Exaugusto Bugiano), son of the famous Basil Boioannes, was also a catepan of Italy, from 1041 to 1042.He was released in February 1042 from captivity, at which time he was replaced by Synodianos. He replaced Michael Doke ...
was sent to Italy with only a small contingent of Varangians to replace the disgraced Doukeianos. On 3 September 1041, they were defeated in battle by the Normans.
Many of the last catepans were sent from Constantinople with Varangian units. In 1047,
John Raphael John Raphael may refer to:
*John Raphael (catepan), the Catepan of Italy from 1046 to 1049
*John Raphael (sportsman) (18821917), Belgian-born English cricketer and rugby union footballer
*John Raphael Smith
John Raphael Smith (1751 – 2 Marc ...
was sent to Bari with a contingent of Varangians, but the Bariots refused to receive his troops and he spent his term at
Otranto
Otranto (, , ; scn, label=Salentino, Oṭṛàntu; el, label= Griko, Δερεντό, Derentò; grc, Ὑδροῦς, translit=Hudroûs; la, Hydruntum) is a coastal town, port and ''comune'' in the province of Lecce (Apulia, Italy), in a ferti ...
. Twenty years later, in 1067, the last Byzantine catepan in southern Italy,
Mabrica, arrived with Varangian auxiliaries and took
Brindisi and
Taranto
Taranto (, also ; ; nap, label= Tarantino, Tarde; Latin: Tarentum; Old Italian: ''Tarento''; Ancient Greek: Τάρᾱς) is a coastal city in Apulia, Southern Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Taranto, serving as an important com ...
. At the disastrous
Battle of Manzikert in 1071, virtually all the Emperor's Guards fell around him.
![Vikings-Voyages](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a7/Vikings-Voyages.png)
Composed primarily of Scandinavians for the first 100 years, the guard began to see increasing numbers of
Anglo-Saxons
The Anglo-Saxons were a Cultural identity, cultural group who inhabited England in the Early Middle Ages. They traced their origins to settlers who came to Britain from mainland Europe in the 5th century. However, the ethnogenesis of the Anglo- ...
after the successful invasion of England by the Normans. In 1088, a large number of Anglo-Saxons and Danes emigrated to the
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...
by way of the Mediterranean.
[ Stephen Turnbull, ''The Walls of Constantinople, AD 324–1453'', pages 35–36, Osprey Publishing, .] One source has more than 5,000 of them arriving in 235 ships. Those who did not enter imperial service settled on the Black Sea coast, building and garrisoning the town of
Civetot for
Alexios I. Those who did became so vital to the Varangians that the Guard was commonly called the (Anglo-Varangians) from that point. In this capacity, they fought in Sicily against the Normans under
Robert Guiscard, who unsuccessfully sought to invade the lower Balkans as well.
Writing about the unit as it was in 1080, the chronicler and princess
Anna Komnene
Anna Komnene ( gr, Ἄννα Κομνηνή, Ánna Komnēnḗ; 1 December 1083 – 1153), commonly Latinized as Anna Comnena, was a Byzantine princess and author of the ''Alexiad'', an account of the reign of her father, the Byzantine emperor, ...
refers to these "axe-bearing barbarians" as being "from Thule", likely a reference to the British Isles or Scandinavia. Likewise, the
Byzantine
The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...
civil-servant, soldier and historian
John Kinnamos
Joannes Kinnamos, or John Cinnamus ( el, or Κίναμος; born shortly after 1143, died after 1185), was a Byzantine historian. He was imperial secretary (Greek "grammatikos", most likely a post connected with the military administration) to Em ...
calls these "axe-bearers" that guarded the Emperor "the British nation, which has been in service to the Romans' Emperors from a long time back".
[John Kinnamos, "The Deeds of John and Manuel Comnenos" (Charles M. Brand, trans.). New York: Columbia University Press, 1976, p. 16.] Kinnamos was writing in the later 12th century, indicating perhaps that the more Dane and Saxon composition of the guard continued to the point of the Fourth Crusade.
After the end of the Crusade led by the Norwegian King
Sigurd I Magnusson, the guard had an influx of Norwegian Warriors. The Norwegian King sold his ships in
Constantinople
la, Constantinopolis ota, قسطنطينيه
, alternate_name = Byzantion (earlier Greek name), Nova Roma ("New Rome"), Miklagard/Miklagarth (Old Norse), Tsargrad ( Slavic), Qustantiniya ( Arabic), Basileuousa ("Queen of Cities"), Megalopolis ( ...
and returned to Norway with only a 100 men, out of an original army of around 6,000.
The Varangians relied on the broad-bladed
Dane axe
The Dane axe is an early type of battle axe, primarily used during the transition between the European Viking Age and early Middle Ages. Other names for the weapon include English long axe, Danish axe, and hafted axe.
Construction
Most axes, b ...
as their main weapon, although they were often also skilled swordsmen or archers. In some sources, such as Anna Komnene's ''
The Alexiad'', they are described as mounted; both Vikings and elite Anglo-Saxon warriors routinely used horses for strategic mobility even though they normally fought on foot. The guard was stationed primarily around Constantinople, and may have been barracked in the
Bucoleon palace complex. The guard also accompanied armies into the field, and Byzantine chroniclers (as well as several notable Western European and Arab chroniclers) often note their battlefield prowess, especially in comparison to the local barbarian peoples. They were vital to the Byzantine victory under the emperor
John II Komnenos
John II Komnenos or Comnenus ( gr, Ἱωάννης ὁ Κομνηνός, Iōannēs ho Komnēnos; 13 September 1087 – 8 April 1143) was Byzantine emperor from 1118 to 1143. Also known as "John the Beautiful" or "John the Good" (), he ...
at the
Battle of Beroia in 1122. The Varangians hacked their way through the enemy's circle of
Pecheneg
The Pechenegs () or Patzinaks tr, Peçenek(ler), Middle Turkic: , ro, Pecenegi, russian: Печенег(и), uk, Печеніг(и), hu, Besenyő(k), gr, Πατζινάκοι, Πετσενέγοι, Πατζινακίται, ka, პაჭ ...
wagons, collapsing the Pecheneg position and causing a general rout in their camp.
The Varangians were described by 11th-century Byzantine historian
Michael Psellus
Michael Psellos or Psellus ( grc-gre, Μιχαὴλ Ψελλός, Michaḗl Psellós, ) was a Byzantine Greek monk, savant, writer, philosopher, imperial courtier, historian and music theorist. He was born in 1017 or 1018, and is believed to ha ...
as thus: "The whole group carry shields and brandish on their shoulders a certain single-edged, heavy-iron weapon", which is understood to have been the Dane axe
(many Byzantine writers referred to them as "axe-bearing barbarians", , rather than as Varangians).
However, a mistranslation of the Greek text has led some to refer to the weapon as a , which most likely occurred as a product of
Atticism in Byzantine literature.
They were prominent in the defence of
Constantinople
la, Constantinopolis ota, قسطنطينيه
, alternate_name = Byzantion (earlier Greek name), Nova Roma ("New Rome"), Miklagard/Miklagarth (Old Norse), Tsargrad ( Slavic), Qustantiniya ( Arabic), Basileuousa ("Queen of Cities"), Megalopolis ( ...
during the
Fourth Crusade. Of the role of the guard, it is said that "the fighting was very violent and there was hand to hand fight with axes and swords, the assailants mounted the walls and prisoners were taken on both sides".
The latest mention of the Varangian guard is in the Greek version of the ''
Chronicle of the Morea
The ''Chronicle of the Morea'' ( el, Τὸ χρονικὸν τοῦ Μορέως) is a long 14th-century history text, of which four versions are extant: in French, Greek (in verse), Italian and Aragonese. More than 9,000 lines long, the ''Chr ...
'', which states that this unit escorted the Prince of Achaia away to prison after the
Battle of Pelagonia in 1259; historian D. J. Geanakoplos suggests they were reconstituted by
Theodore I Laskaris
Theodore I Laskaris or Lascaris ( gr, Θεόδωρος Κομνηνὸς Λάσκαρις, Theodōros Komnēnos Laskaris; 1175November 1221) was the first emperor of Nicaea—a successor state of the Byzantine Empire—from 1205 to his d ...
to strengthen his claim as the rightful Emperor. People identified as Varangians were to be found in Constantinople around 1400.
Function
![SealOfGrandInterpreter](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1f/SealOfGrandInterpreter.jpg)
The duties and purpose of the Varangian Guard were similar—if not identical—to the services provided by the Kievan ''
druzhina
In the medieval history of Kievan Rus' and Early Poland, a druzhina, drużyna, or družyna ( Slovak and cz, družina; pl, drużyna; ; , ''druzhýna'' literally a "fellowship") was a retinue in service of a Slavic chieftain, also called ''knyaz ...
'', the Swedish/Norwegian ''
hird
The hird (also named "Håndgangne Menn" in Norwegian), in Scandinavian history, was originally an informal retinue of personal armed companions, hirdmen or housecarls, but came to mean not only the nucleus ('Guards') of the royal army, but also ...
'', and the Scandinavian and Anglo-Saxon ''
housecarl
A housecarl ( on, húskarl; oe, huscarl) was a non- servile manservant or household bodyguard in medieval Northern Europe.
The institution originated amongst the Norsemen of Scandinavia, and was brought to Anglo-Saxon England by the Danish con ...
s''. The Varangians served as the personal
bodyguard of the emperor, swearing an oath of loyalty to him; they had ceremonial duties as retainers and acclaimers and performed some police duties, especially in cases of treason and conspiracy. They were headed by a separate officer, the ''
akolouthos
''Akolouthos'' ( gr, ἀκόλουθος, , follower, attendant) was a Byzantine office with varying functions over time. Originally a subaltern officer of the imperial guard regiment (''tagma (military), tagma'') of the ''Vigla (tagma), Vigla'', ...
'', who was usually a native Byzantine.
The Varangian Guard was only used in battle during critical moments, or where the battle was most fierce.
[Enoksen, Lars Magnar. (1998). ''Runor : historia, tydning, tolkning''. Historiska Media, Falun. p. 135] Contemporary Byzantine chroniclers note with a mix of terror and fascination that the "Scandinavians were frightening both in appearance and in equipment, they attacked with reckless rage and neither cared about losing blood nor their wounds".
The description probably refers to
berserkers, since this state of trance is said to have given them superhuman strength and no sense of pain from their wounds.
When the Byzantine Emperor died, the Varangians had the unique right of running to the imperial treasury and taking as much gold and as many gems as they could carry, a procedure known in
Old Norse
Old Norse, Old Nordic, or Old Scandinavian, is a stage of development of North Germanic dialects before their final divergence into separate Nordic languages. Old Norse was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and their overseas settlemen ...
as ''polutasvarf'' ("palace pillaging").
This privilege enabled many Varangians to return home as wealthy men, which encouraged even more Scandinavians to enlist in the Guard in ''Miklagarðr'' (Swedish = Miklagård = 'The Great City', i.e. Constantinople).
The loyalty of the Varangians became a trope of Byzantine writers. Writing about her father
Alexius
Alexius is the Latinized form of the given name Alexios ( el, Αλέξιος, polytonic , "defender", cf. Alexander), especially common in the later Byzantine Empire. The female form is Alexia ( el, Αλεξία) and its variants such as Alessia ...
's seizing of the Imperial throne in 1081,
Anna Komnene
Anna Komnene ( gr, Ἄννα Κομνηνή, Ánna Komnēnḗ; 1 December 1083 – 1153), commonly Latinized as Anna Comnena, was a Byzantine princess and author of the ''Alexiad'', an account of the reign of her father, the Byzantine emperor, ...
notes that he was advised not to attack the Varangians who still guarded the Emperor
Nikephoros for the Varangians "regard loyalty to the emperors and the protection of their persons as a family tradition, a kind of sacred trust". This allegiance, she noted, "they preserve inviolate, and will never brook the slighted hint of betrayal". Unlike the native Byzantine guards so mistrusted by Basil II, the Varangian guards' loyalties lay with the position of Emperor, not the man who sat on the throne. This was made clear in 969 when the guards failed to avenge the death by assassination of Emperor
Nikephoros II
Nikephoros II Phokas (; – 11 December 969), Latinized Nicephorus II Phocas, was Byzantine emperor from 963 to 969. His career, not uniformly successful in matters of statecraft or of war, nonetheless included brilliant military exploits whi ...
. A servant had managed to call for the guards while the Emperor was being attacked, but when they arrived he was dead. They immediately knelt before
John Tzimiskes
John I Tzimiskes (; 925 – 10 January 976) was the senior Byzantine emperor from 969 to 976. An intuitive and successful general, he strengthened the Empire and expanded its borders during his short reign.
Background
John I Tzimiskes ...
, Nikephoros' murderer and hailed him as Emperor. "Alive they would have defended him to the last breath: dead there was no point in avenging him. They had a new master now."
This reputation exceeds the truth in at least two recorded instances. In 1071, after Emperor
Romanos IV Diogenes
Romanos IV Diogenes (Greek: Ρωμανός Διογένης), Latinized as Romanus IV Diogenes, was a member of the Byzantine military aristocracy who, after his marriage to the widowed empress Eudokia Makrembolitissa, was crowned Byzantine Em ...
was defeated by Sultan Alp Arslan, a palace coup was staged before he could return to Constantinople. Caesar
John Doukas used the Varangian guard to depose the absent emperor, arrest Empress Eudoxia, and proclaim his nephew, stepson of Diogenes
Michael VII, as emperor. Thus, instead of defending their absent emperor, the Varangians were used by the usurpers—proving their loyalty to the throne, if not always the current occupier of that throne. In a more sinister episode, the historian
Joannes Zonaras reports the guard revolting against
Nikephoros III Botaneiates
Nikephoros III Botaneiates, Latinized as Nicephorus III Botaniates ( el, Νικηφόρος Βοτανειάτης, 1002–1081), was Byzantine emperor from 7 January 1078 to 1 April 1081. He was born in 1002, and became a general du ...
after the blinding of the general
Nikephoros Bryennios in 1078, "planning to kill him" but being suppressed by loyal troops. They subsequently asked for and received a pardon.
Runestones
There are a number of raised stone memorials called
runestones throughout Scandinavia. The runestones are unevenly distributed in Scandinavia: Denmark has 250 runestones, Norway has 50 while Iceland has none.
Sweden has as many as between 1,700
and 2,500
[Zilmer 2005:38][Harrison & Svensson 2007:192] depending on definition. The Swedish district of
Uppland
Uppland () is a historical province or ' on the eastern coast of Sweden, just north of Stockholm, the capital. It borders Södermanland, Västmanland and Gästrikland. It is also bounded by lake Mälaren and the Baltic Sea. On the small uninhab ...
has the highest concentration with as many as 1,196 inscriptions in stone, whereas
Södermanland
Södermanland ( or ), locally Sörmland, sometimes referred to under its Latin form ''Sudermannia'' or ''Sudermania'', is a historical province or ''landskap'' on the south eastern coast of Sweden. It borders Östergötland, Närke, Västman ...
is second with 391.
Many date to the
Viking Age
The Viking Age () was the period during the Middle Ages when Norsemen known as Vikings undertook large-scale raiding, colonizing, conquest, and trading throughout Europe and reached North America. It followed the Migration Period and the Germ ...
, and there are many associated with the Varangian Guards.
These
Varangian runestones commemorate various fallen warriors through carved
runes
Runes are the letters in a set of related alphabets known as runic alphabets native to the Germanic peoples. Runes were used to write various Germanic languages (with some exceptions) before they adopted the Latin alphabet, and for specialised ...
, and mention voyages to the East (''Austr'') or the Eastern route (''Austrvegr''), or to more specific eastern locations such as
Garðaríki
(anglicized Gardariki or Gardarike) or is the Old Norse term used in medieval times for the states of Kievan Rus.
As the Varangians dealt mainly with Northern Kievan Rus' lands, their sagas regard the city of (, Veliky Novgorod) as the capi ...
(what is today Russia and Ukraine). The losses that the Varangian Guard suffered are reflected by the largest group of runestones that talk of foreign voyages, such as those termed the
Greece Runestones. These were raised by former members of the Varangian Guard, or in their memory. A smaller group consists of the four
Italy Runestones which were raised in memory of members of the Varangian Guard who died in southern Italy.
The oldest of the Greece runestones are six stones in the
style RAK, a style which is dated to the period before 1015 AD. The group consists of
Skepptuna runestone U 358,
Västra Ledinge runestone U 518,
Nälberga runestone Sö 170 and
Eriksstad runestone Sm 46.
[The dating is provided by the Rundata project in a freely downloadable database.]
One of the more notable of the later runestones in the
style Pr4 is
Ed runestone U 112, a large boulder at the western shore of the lake of Ed. It tells that Ragnvaldr, the captain of the Varangian Guard, had returned home where he had the inscriptions made in memory of his dead mother.
The youngest runestones, in the
style Pr5, such as
Ed runestone U 104 (presently in the
Ashmolean Museum in
Oxford
Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...
), are dated to the period 1080–1130, after which runestones became unfashionable.
The Varangians did not return home without being imprinted by Byzantine culture in one way or another, as exemplified by the
Byzantine cross
The Russian Orthodox Cross (or just the Orthodox Cross by some Russian Orthodox traditions) is a variation of the Christian cross since the 16th century in Russia, although it bears some similarity to a cross with a bottom crossbeam slanted the ...
carved on the early eleventh century
Risbyle runestone U 161, and which today is the
coat-of-arms
A coat of arms is a heraldic visual design on an escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central element of the full heraldic achievement, which in its w ...
of
Täby
Täby () was previously a trimunicipal locality, with 66,292 inhabitants in 2013. However, as from 2016, Statistics Sweden has amalgamated this locality with the Stockholm urban area. It is the seat of Täby Municipality in Stockholm County, S ...
, a trimunicipal locality and the seat of Täby Municipality in Stockholm County, Sweden.
[The article ]
5. Runriket – Risbyle
'' on the website of the Stockholm County Museum
Stockholm County Museum ( sv, Stockholms läns museum) is the regional museum of Stockholm County, Sweden.
The museum's head office is currently located at Flemingsberg in Huddinge Municipality. Previously, the museum was located at Sickla.
...
, retrieved 7 July 2007. The runes were made by the
Viking
Vikings ; non, víkingr is the modern name given to seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway and Sweden),
who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded and se ...
Ulf of Borresta
Ulf of Borresta (Old Norse: ''Ulfr í Báristöðum'', modern Swedish: ''Ulf i Borresta'') was a runemaster in the eleventh century Uppland, Sweden, and a successful Viking who returned from England three times with a share of the Danegeld. He ...
, see
Orkesta runestone U 344, in memory of another Ulf, in Skålhamra, and at the request of the latter's father.
File:Pireuslejonet.jpg, Piraeus Lion
The Piraeus Lion ( it, Leone del Pireo) is one of four lion statues on display at the Venetian Arsenal, Italy, where it was displayed as a symbol of Venice's patron saint, Saint Mark.
History
It was originally located in Piraeus, the harbour ...
drawing of curved lindworm
The lindworm (''worm'' meaning snake), also spelled lindwyrm or lindwurm, is a mythical creature in Northern and Central European folklore living deep in the forest that traditionally has the shape of a giant serpent monster. It can be seen as a ...
. The runes on the lion tell of Swedish
Swedish or ' may refer to:
Anything from or related to Sweden, a country in Northern Europe. Or, specifically:
* Swedish language, a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Sweden and Finland
** Swedish alphabet, the official alphabet used by ...
warriors, likely Varangians, mercenaries in the service of the Byzantine (Eastern Roman) Emperor.
Image:Runestonecross.jpg, The Byzantine cross
The Russian Orthodox Cross (or just the Orthodox Cross by some Russian Orthodox traditions) is a variation of the Christian cross since the 16th century in Russia, although it bears some similarity to a cross with a bottom crossbeam slanted the ...
, on U 161, a cross which is today the coat of arms of the municipality of Täby
Täby () was previously a trimunicipal locality, with 66,292 inhabitants in 2013. However, as from 2016, Statistics Sweden has amalgamated this locality with the Stockholm urban area. It is the seat of Täby Municipality in Stockholm County, S ...
, Sweden
Image:hagia-sofia-viking.jpg, One of the runic inscriptions in Hagia Sophia, probably carved by members of the Varangian Guard
Norse sagas
According to the
sagas, the
West Norse
Old Norse, Old Nordic, or Old Scandinavian, is a stage of development of North Germanic dialects before their final divergence into separate Nordic languages. Old Norse was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and their overseas settlement ...
entered the service of the Guard considerably later than the
East Norse
Old Norse, Old Nordic, or Old Scandinavian, is a stage of development of North Germanic languages, North Germanic dialects before their final divergence into separate Nordic languages. Old Norse was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and t ...
. The
Laxdœla saga, informs that the Icelander
Bolli Bollason, born c. 1006, was the first known Icelander in the Varangian Guard.
Sagas of the Icelanders
', Penguin Group
Penguin Group is a British trade book publisher and part of Penguin Random House, which is owned by the German media conglomerate Bertelsmann. The new company was created by a merger that was finalised on 1 July 2013, with Bertelsmann initi ...
Travelling to Constantinople via Denmark, he spent many years in the Varangian Guard; "and was thought to be the most valiant in all deeds that try a man, and always went next to those in the forefront."
The saga also records the finery his followers received from the Emperor, and the influence he held after his return to Iceland:
The Varangian Guard is mentioned also in ''
Njal's Saga'' in reference to Kolskegg—an Icelander said to have come first to
Holmgard
Veliky Novgorod ( rus, links=no, Великий Новгород, t=Great Newtown, p=vʲɪˈlʲikʲɪj ˈnovɡərət), also known as just Novgorod (), is the largest city and administrative centre of Novgorod Oblast, Russia. It is one of the o ...
(Novgorod) and then on to Miklagard (Constantinople), where he entered the Emperor's service. "The last that was heard of him was, that he had wedded a wife there, and was captain over the Varangians, and stayed there till his death day."
One of the members of the Varangian Guard was the future king
Harald Sigurdsson III of Norway, known as Harald Hardråde ("Hard-ruler").
[Philip Dixon, ''Barbarian Europe'', Salem House Publishing (October 1976), 978-0525701606] Having fled his homeland, Harald went first to
Gardariki and then on to Constantinople, where he arrived in 1035. He participated in eighteen battles and during his service
fought against Arabs in Anatolia and Sicily under General
George Maniakes
George Maniakes (, transliterated as Georgios Maniaces, Maniakis, or Maniaches, , ; died 1043) was a prominent general of the Byzantine Empire of Byzantine Greek origin
during the 11 ...
, as well as in southern Italy and Bulgaria. An extensive account of Harald Sigurdsson's journeys is found in
Harald Sigurdsson's Saga.
During his time in the Varangian Guard Harald earned the titles of ''
manglavites'' and ''
spatharokandidatos
( gr, σπαθαροκανδιδᾶτος), Latinized as , was a mid-ranking Byzantine court dignity used in the 7th–11th centuries.
History
The title was created as a portmanteau of the titles and , both of which were types of palace guard ...
''. But his service ended with his imprisonment for misappropriation of imperial plunder taken during his command. He was released upon the dethronement of the Emperor
Michael V Michael V may refer to:
* Michael V Kalaphates (1015–1042), Byzantine Emperor
*Coptic Pope Michael V of Alexandria (fl. 1145–1146)
* Michael V. (born 1969), Filipino actor and comedian
{{hndis, Michael 05