Scandinavian varangian guard ancient warfare, ancient warriors. Landing the varangian guard crusader kings ii general. Dec 12, 2018 on a balcony in the hagia sophia in istanbul can clearly be seen old norse graffiti dating from the 9th century, reading. Sweden, used mainly by swedish vikings called varangians in the east. The varangian guard represented the elite heavy infantry regiment of the roman byzantine empire from ad 988 ad to around 1404 ad. They challenged any pirates that happened to float into byzantine waters. This elite viking bodyguard protected the byzantium emperor but who were the. All visible stitches are hand sewn with linen thread. We do not operate in the black and white worlds and our club colors have meaning related to our. Scandinavian varangian guard viking armor, medieval armor, vikings. Names of scandinavians in the byzantine varangian guard and. January 8th, 793 marks the first recorded account of the vikings when they raided and destroyed the christian monastery on the small island of lindisfarne, northumbria, england. Nov 10, 2014 an elite unit of the byzantine army from the 10th to 14th centuries, the varangian guard was mostly comprised of viking and anglosaxon mercenaries whose job was to protect the byzantine emperors as their personal bodyguards, and they were renowned for their loyalty, ferocity and honour. Men from scandinavia continued to serve in the varangian guard until 1204, when the unit virtually disappeared after crusaders sacked the city of byzantium.
They were most frequently used to carry out orders that were particularly brutal, destructive, or dealing with politically sensitive individuals that other units might be sympathetic to. May 11, 2014 it will make them act like a regular duke level vassal except they have their mercenary force in addition to normal levies so theyll be a bit stronger than the average vassal. According to the 12th century kievan primary chronicle, a group of varangians known as the rus settled. The varangian guard the vikings in byzantium the varangian guard in byzantium is one of the very few mercenary units whose history can be counted in centuries. According to the late swedish historian alf henriksson, in his book svensk historia history of sweden the scandinavian varangian guardsmen were recognized by long hair, a red ruby set in the left ear and ornamented dragons sown on their chainmail shirts. This web site argues that the swedish vikings, known in russia as the rus or varangians, were able to conquer the medieval slavic tribes of modernday russia, belarus, and the ukraine because they were in a disunited state, constantly warring and feuding with one another, and the varangians took advantage of this by setting one slavic tribe against another.
Variagians, were people from the baltic region, most often associated with vikings. Such a unit would have to be complete as far as possible down to clothing, weapons, armour, and equipment. Not really sure whats going on here the year is 878 and i cant form the varangian guard as the byzantine emperor not sure if the viking age has actually started yet but im assuming no. As we mentioned before, the varangian guard was initially formed mostly of warriors and adventurers from rus who tended to have swedish lineage. If not that, will, they seemed more ceremonial, if anything. Varangian guard of the byzantine empire, in order to see it in its proper context, beginning in 988, a few words about the byzantine empire itself are needed. The varangian question the eastern roman empire was still the richest political entity of europe. The varangian guards, an illumination from the skylitzis chronicle. Apr 27, 20 my tribute to the varangian guard, the famous elite guard of the byzantine emperor. The byzantine empire also known as byzantium, as the eastern roman empire, and as the medieval roman empire was the roman empire during late antiquity and.
Turisas march of the varangian guard lyrics genius lyrics. Apr 03, 2012 varangian guard is a pure military unit. Not all of them are necessarily joined the varangian guard, they might have been merchants, or mercenaries in the regular army. The varangian guard existed from around 911, when the scandinavian rus signed a treaty with byzantium establishing relations for trade and military service. Celebrated recruits include harald hardrada, who went on to become the king. The imperial axebearers is a common description of them. Language historians however trace the name rus back to the swedish landscape roslagen, located in uppland, just north of. However, the varangian rus assimilated, taking over the slavic language of the surrounding population.
According to the late swedish historian alf henrikson in his book svensk historia history of sweden, the norse varangian guardsmen were recognized by long. In 988, around a little more than half a century before the end of the viking age, vladimir i, ruler of the city of kiev in. Varangian was later extended to mean any viking from norse settlements working in the byzantine empire. Feb 27, 2012 the varangian guard posted in skyrim mod requests.
History of the varangian guard and their effectiveness. Rurik, the semilegendary founder of the rurik dynasty of kievan rus. Russian historiography for a long time refused the thesis that the russian state has been founded by foreign vikings. One of the more legendary elite units of the middle ages is the varangian guard. This movement eastwards extended along the major rivers, with scandinavians eventually travelling all the way south to byzantium. At first, the swedish vikings besieged constantinople in 860, but had eventually been bought off with significant terms of trade and enrolled as the mercenaries which mostly formed the varangian guard of the byzantine empire, which existed from the 10th century to the 14th century. They are known for being primarily composed of germanic peoples, specifically, scandinavians the guard was formed 60 years before the end of the viking age and anglosaxons from england particularly after the norman invasi.
The new varangian guard has existed for many years now more than some of us care to remember but as far as i can see it has never fully realised the goal of accurately representing a unit of the original varangian guards. Big iron war axe of varangian guard ca 9001100 ad swiss army. Oct 20, 2016 in this video, i lay out the history of the varangian guard, the most famous military unit in byzantine empire with a focus on its origins, the context of the world in which it was created, the. The viking unit was famous for the stature of its members and their bloodthirsty conduct in battle, where they used their fearsome doublebladed battleaxes to devastating effect. Sep 09, 2016 varangian guard paperback september 9, 2016 by jay w inman author see all 2 formats and editions hide other formats and editions. They are known for being primarily composed of germanic peoples, specifically, scandinavians the guard was formed 60 years before the end of the viking age and anglosaxons from england particularly after the norman invasion. After helping basil overcome the rebels and reign supreme, these mercenaries stuck around, becoming known as the varangian guard. The varangian guard formed to serve as mercenaries in the byzantine military, banding together to protect the emperor.
Read an article on the history of the swedish vikings and of the varangian guard, a mercenary order consisting of vikings in the byzantine. Varangian guard of the byzantine empire weapons and warfare. They were an elite unit that were the personal bodyguards of byzantine emperors from the 10th century, until their dissolution in the 14th century a. See more ideas about varangian guard, medieval and dark ages. Nvg inc is a historical reenactment organisation with branches throughout australia. Kylfings unknown warriors mentioned on norse runes. The length of their service and the number of battles in which they fought is perhaps only surpassed by the swiss in the pay of the french. Many of these come from from back issues of the varangian voice, the newsletter of the new varangian guard nvg, a historical reenactment group based in australia whose core area and period of interest of the new varangian guard is the byzantine empire, its allies and. The varangian guards were viking mercenaries who operated far beyond their native shores as an elite force within the byzantine armies. The varangian guard was an elite unit of the byzantine army, from the 10th to the 14th centuries, whose members served as personal bodyguards of the byzantine emperors.
Aug 14, 2015 the varangian guard was best known for its weaponry, for they carried axes, sometimes described as singlebladed and sometimes as double. Norse varangian guards protected the byzantine emperors for over 300 years. Sometime after 850 ad, scandinavians mostly from sweden and denmark began launching exploration, warfare, and trade eastwards into russia. Formation compromised at first of the kievan rus ancestors, continue reading history of the. The varangian guard continued until the crusade broke the great city of constantinople in 1204.
According to the chronicle, the people of novgorod, tired of. Kylfings unknown warriors mentioned on norse runes were. The byzantine empire also known as byzantium, as the eastern roman empire, and as the medieval roman empire was the roman empire during late antiquity and the middle ages. Names of scandinavians in the byzantine varangian guard and in russia. In almost everything you read about the vikings, were told about how intrepid warriors, traders, and explorers fared out westwards into iceland, greenland, and the new world, while others were the scourge of the christian peoples of europe.
March of the varangian guard was released as part of turisas third studio album, stand up and fight, recorded in hameenlinna, finland, and released on 23rd february 2011. The varangian guard started in the second roman empire. Im wondering what was the process of assimilating norse warriors into byzantine society. The varangian guard 9881453 menatarms osprey publishing. Their members served as personal bodyguards to the byzantine emperors. There was a sociopolitical side to this ambit since most of england was overrun by the normans under william the conqueror post. Descendants from a legendary line of warriors, the varangian guard was formed after a group of viking mercenaries made a major contribution to the byzantine emperor basil iis victory over rebel forces in 988 ad. They, and the warriors who enlisted afterwards for centuries to come, had the sworn duty to protect the byzantine emperor and also to go to war if their terrifying presence was required on the battlefields on the fringes of the empire. Names of scandinavians in the byzantine varangian guard. Rurik, also spelled rorik or hrorekr, russian ryurik, died ad 879, the semilegendary founder of the rurik dynasty of kievan rus rurik was a viking, or varangian, prince.
A collection of articles discussion the varangian guard, its origins. Jun 04, 2017 the varangian guard represented the elite heavy infantry regiment of the roman byzantine empire from ad 988 ad to around 1404 ad. The amount of woolen cloth used reflects something about wealth of their owner. The runestones of sweden tell of vikings who travelled east. Historians have found evidence that the kylings were also mentioned in connection with the varangian guard. They were vikings for hire, who successfully conquered territories across the empire. The varangian guards top commanders seem to have been byzantine, although smaller units had foreign commanders. Later, after the norman conquest of england, anglosaxons joined the guard. Tmp the varangian guardthe vikings in byzantium topic.
The history of the swedish vikings and the varangian guard. They were originally made up exclusively of vikings which the empire had been hiring as mercenaries since the 9 th century, but after th. The varangian guard was known for being primarily composed of recruits from northern europe. Nov 10, 2017 the mercenary varangian guard was an elite byzantine army corps and the personal bodyguard of emperors beginning with basil ii in c.
Praetorian guard vs varangian guard spacebattles forums. The viking mercenaries of the byzantine empire the. The varangians were the elite forces of the byzantine army much like the praetorian guard of ancient rome or the ottoman janissaries. At a time that vikings elsewhere were ravaging the products of civilization, this unit of scandinavians was the body guard of the byzantine emperors. There are over 30 inscriptions in all mentioning voyagers to greece. Jul 20, 2010 listener william asked who the varangians were and why they figured so prominently in byzantine military affairs. Oct 19, 2018 the vikings coveted constantinople but could never breach its walls.
Varangian guard update 1 by stholm on deviantart sca armor, viking armor. Varangian guard from my understanding for the first 100 years after emperor basil is peace treaty with the kievan rus, the varangian guard consisted almost exclusively of scandinavian warriors. Viking answer lady webpage names of scandinavians in the. While the nominal strength of the varangian guard was 6000, it was rarely used as a single unit, but was deployed in units of 500 throughout the empire. The vikings circa 793 1050 the vikings, natives of present day denmark, norway and sweden, burst onto the world stage and into history between the 8th and the 11th centuries. But what was a norseman doing in byzantine, so far away from home.
The emperors could find many offensive uses for the varangians, but their most common task was defensive. The vikings of the varangian guard were experienced in sailing and sea warfare and also served in the byzantine navy. The varangian guard skyrim mod requests the nexus forums. Some mentions of a remnant of the varangian guard can be found in the historical record until as late as 1453, but it was no longer the mighty fighting force of viking warriors that once had been. The mercenary varangian guard was an elite byzantine army corps and the personal bodyguard of emperors beginning with basil ii in c. The varyags of miklagaard, also more commonly known as the varangian guard of constantinople hence the runic markings in hagia sophia. The name varangian originates from an old norse word relating to sharers in an oath. Varangian was later extended to mean any viking from norse settlements working in.