The Varangian Guard: Vikings of the Byzantine Empire

Depiction of the Varangian Guard,the Vikings of the Byzantine Empire. Image: Joannis Scylitza, 12th century. Credit: Public domain

The Vikings were a seafaring radical from Scandinavia. They astir famously raided successful and astir the British Isles and the occidental coasts of Europe. However, what galore radical bash not cognize is that they were progressive overmuch further east, too.

The Vikings played a astonishing yet important relation successful the Byzantine Empire, wherever they formed the Varangian Guard. What bash we cognize astir the Varangian Guard, the Vikings of the Byzantine Empire?

The Origin of the Varangians

The Varangians were Vikings from Sweden. In the ninth century, a radical of them settled successful Northwest Russia, wherever the metropolis of Novgorod is located today. A antheral named Rurik was the legendary person of this group. He was referred to arsenic the Rus’, and the settlement, established successful the twelvemonth 862 according to a twelfth-century chronicle, was likewise referred to arsenic such.

From Novgorod, the Varangians went connected southbound towards the Black Sea. In summation to Russia, they settled successful modern-day Belarus and Ukraine. Over time, they began to predominate the commercialized passing done that area. This was a captious presumption of commercialized power. There was overmuch commercialized that passed from the Muslim territories of the eastbound to the Byzantine Empire of the west.

At times, determination were subject conflicts betwixt the Varangians and the Byzantine Empire. In the tenth period successful the twelvemonth 907, the Varangians attacked Constantinople itself. The siege does not look to person been peculiarly bloody, and it ended successful a bid pact betwixt the 2 sides.

Varangian Guard: the Viking mercenaries of the Byzantine Empire

As a effect of this and different bid treaties with the Byzantine Empire, Varangians from the Rus’ radical received the close to service successful the Empire. Perhaps due to the fact that it brought the imaginable of greater wealthiness and security, galore Varangians chose to bash conscionable that. This formed what is present known arsenic the Varangian Guard.

The Varangian Guard was frankincense a radical of Viking mercenaries serving successful the Byzantine Empire. From the tenth period onwards, much and much Varangians began associating themselves with the Byzantine emperor. Many of them came straight from the Rus’ radical surviving northbound of the Black Sea, but determination were besides galore immigrants straight from Sweden.

The Varangian Guard was highly valued by the Byzantine emperor. Because they were foreigners to the Empire, they were acold little apt to get progressive successful governmental oregon nationalist intrigues. For this reason, members of the Varangian Guard were often favored arsenic idiosyncratic bodyguards for emperors, akin to the Praetorian Guard of erstwhile centuries. In addition, they besides participated successful unfastened warfare against enemies of the Empire.

The Function of the Varangian Guard

The Varangian Guard swore utter allegiance to the emperor. They vowed to support him astatine each costs arsenic needed. Due to their culture, the radical of Scandinavia, including the Anglo-Saxons, were renowned for their loyalty. They had an unthinkable estimation for sticking to their oaths. Therefore, the emperor could spot them with his precise ain life.

Beyond simply acting arsenic guards for the emperor, the Varangians besides performed ceremonial duties wrong Constantinople. In times of governmental unrest oregon conspiracies, they would enactment arsenic a benignant of peculiar constabulary force.

In general, Vikings were celebrated for their ferocity successful warfare. This facet of the Varangians was not mislaid connected Byzantine emperors. If a conflict got to beryllium excessively overmuch for the Empire’s ain forces, they would nonstop successful the Varangian Guard to supply support.

The celebrated Scandinavian berserkers gave the Varangian Guard a fierce estimation successful battle. Supposedly, they fought similar fearsome beasts and took nary enactment astatine each of their wounds oregon pain. The broad-bladed Dane axe was their limb of choice.

The History of the Guard

Although primitively composed of lone Vikings from Scandinavia, Anglo-Saxons aboriginal joined the Varangian Guard successful the eleventh century. This was aft the Norman conquest of England successful 1066. This conquest drove retired galore of the Anglo-Saxons who had been surviving there. They traveled for caller prospects, and this led them to the Byzantine Empire. There, they joined the Vikings successful the Varangian Guard.

The Guard played a cardinal relation successful a fig of captious battles. For example, successful the eleventh century, the Lombards and Normans attempted to thrust the Byzantine Empire retired of Southern Italy. In response, the Byzantine Emperor sent a assemblage of troops taken from the Varangian Guard to Italy. During the resulting Battle of Cannae, the Varangians helped the Empire to execute a decisive victory.

The Varangian Guard continued to support the Empire, particularly the capital, Constantinople, passim the thirteenth century. However, aft the mediate of that century, they disappeared from the written record. They past look escorting a captive of warfare to Nicaea successful 1259. No 1 is alert of what happened to them from that constituent on.