Varangian Guardsmen, an illumination from the 11th century chronicle of John Skylitzes.

The Varangians or Varyags (Russian, Ukrainian : Варяги, Varyagi) sometimes referred to as Variagians were Scandinavians who migrated eastwards and southwards through what is now Russia and Ukraine mainly in the 9th and 10th centuries. Engaging in trade, piracy and mercenary activities, they roamed the river systems and portages of Gardariki, reaching the Caspian Sea and Constantinople.^[1] Image File history File links Download high resolution version (900x596, 98 KB) Summary Skylitzis Chronicle Licensing File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Varangians ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (900x596, 98 KB) Summary Skylitzis Chronicle Licensing File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Varangians ... John/Ioannes Skylitzes/Scylitzes (Ιωάννης Σκυλίτζης, 1081) was a Byzantine historian of the late 11th century. ... Scandinavia is the cultural and historic region of the Scandinavian Peninsula. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... The flag of 18th-century pirate Calico Jack Piracy is a robbery committed at sea, or sometimes on the shore, by an agent without a commission from a sovereign nation. ... A mercenary is a person who takes part in an armed conflict who is not a national of a Party to the conflict and is motivated to take part in the hostilities essentially by the desire for private gain and, in fact, is promised, by or on behalf of a... Gardariki (compare Icl. ... The Caspian Sea (Russian: Каспийское море; Kazakh: Каспий теңізі; Turkmen: Hazar deňizi; Azeri: XÉ™zÉ™r dÉ™nizi; Persian: دریای خزر Daryā-ye Khazar) is the largest lake on Earth by area[2], with a surface area of 371,000 square kilometers (143,244 sq mi) and a volume of 78,200 cubic kilometers (18... Map of Constantinople. ...

Contemporary English publications also use the name "Viking" for early Varangians in some contexts.^[2][3] The term Viking commonly denotes the ship-borne warriors and traders of Norsemen (literally, men from the north) who originated in Scandinavia and raided the coasts of Britain, Ireland and mainland Europe as far east as the Volga River in Russia from the late 8th–11th century. ...

The term Varangian remained in usage in the Byzantine Empire until the 13th century, largely disconnected from its Scandinavian roots by then.

Name

By the most common opinion, their name came from Old Norse Væringjar, which may have come from the Old Norse plural noun várar = "pledge, troth". The East Slavs and the Byzantines did not distinguish Scandinavians from other Germanic peoples when they used this term. In the Primary Chronicle, this term includes people from Scandinavian countries and England which had many Scandinavian settlements at this time. Old Norse or Danish tongue is the Germanic language once spoken by the inhabitants of the Nordic countries (for instance during the Viking Age). ... Look up Plural in Wiktionary, the free dictionary Plural is a grammatical number, typically referring to more than one of the referent in the real world. ... Pledge is a verb, meaning to promise solemnly, and a noun, meaning the promise or its maker or its object. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards and to make a clear distinction between fact and fiction, this article may require cleanup. ... The East Slavs are a Slavic ethnic group, the speakers of East Slavic languages. ... Byzantine Empire at its greatest extent c. ... Thor/Donar, Germanic thunder god. ... The Primary Chronicle (Old-Slavonic: Повсть времяньныхъ лтъ; Russian: Повесть временных лет, Povest vremennykh let; Ukrainian: Повість времмених літ, Povist vremennykh lit; often translated into English as Tale of Bygone Years), is a history of the Ancient Rus from around 850 to 1110 originally compiled in Kiev about 1113. ... Motto (French) God and my right Anthem No official anthem - the United Kingdom anthem God Save the Queen is commonly used England() – on the European continent() – in the United Kingdom() Capital (and largest city) London (de facto) Official languages English (de facto) Unified  -  by Athelstan 927 AD  Area  -  Total 130...

The Varangian Rus

Guests from Overseas, Nicholas Roerich (1899).

Having settled Aldeigja (Ladoga) in the 750s, Scandinavian colonists were probably an element in the early ethnogenesis of the Rus' people, and likely played a role in the formation of the Rus' Khaganate. The Varangians (Varyags, in Old East Slavic) are first mentioned by the Primary Chronicle as having exacted tribute from the Slavic and Finnic tribes in 859. It was the time of rapid expansion of the Vikings in Northern Europe; England began to pay Danegeld in 859, and the Curonians of Grobin faced an invasion by the Swedes at about the same date. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (900x637, 143 KB) Description = Guests from Overseas (1899) Nicholas Roerich File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Rurik Varangians Nicholas Roerich Talk:Main Page User talk:HappyUser/Main... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (900x637, 143 KB) Description = Guests from Overseas (1899) Nicholas Roerich File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Rurik Varangians Nicholas Roerich Talk:Main Page User talk:HappyUser/Main... Guests from Overseas, 1899 (Varangians in Russia) Nicholas Roerich, (October 9, 1874 - December 13, 1947) also known as Nikolai Konstantinovich Rerikh (Russian: Николай Константинович Рёрих), was a Russian painter and spiritual teacher. ... The fortress of Ladoga was built in stone in the 12th century and rebuilt 400 years later. ... Rus’ (????, ) was a medieval East Slavic nation, which, according to the most popular (but by no means only) theory, may have taken its name from a ruling warrior class, possibly with Scandinavian roots. ... The Rus Khaganate is a poorly-documented period in the history of East Slavs (roughly the late eighth and early to mid ninth centuries CE). ... Old East Slavic language is one name for a language spoken between the 10th and 14th centuries in Kievan Rus and its successor states, the ancestor of the modern East Slavic languages. ... The Primary Chronicle (Old-Slavonic: Повсть времяньныхъ лтъ; Russian: Повесть временных лет, Povest vremennykh let; Ukrainian: Повість времмених літ, Povist vremennykh lit; often translated into English as Tale of Bygone Years), is a history of the Ancient Rus from around 850 to 1110 originally compiled in Kiev about 1113. ... Distribution of Slavic people by language The Slavic peoples are a linguistic and ethnic branch of Indo-European peoples, living mainly in Europe, where they constitute roughly a third of the population. ... Finnic peoples (Fennic, sometimes Baltic-Finnic) refers to a group of related ethnic groups and nations speaking Finnic languages (also known as Balto-Finnic languages). ... Events Battle of Abelda: Asturias beats the Muslims. ... The Danegeld was an English tribute raised to pay off Viking raiders (usually led by the Danish king) to save the land from being ravaged by the raiders. ... Events Battle of Abelda: Asturias beats the Muslims. ... The term Curonian language may refer to two different, but genetically related Baltic languages. ... Grobiņa (German: Seeburg, Seleburg) is a town in western Latvia, eleven kilometers east of Liepaja. ...

In 862, the Finnic and Slavic tribes rebelled against the Varangian Rus, driving them overseas back to Scandinavia, but soon started to conflict with each other. The disorder prompted the tribes to invite back the Varangian Rus "to come and rule them" and bring peace to the region. Led by Rurik and his brothers Truvor and Sineus, the invited Varangians (called Rus) settled around the town of Holmgard (Novgorod). Events Rurik gained control of Novgorod. ... Rurik or Riurik (Russian: , Old East Norse Rørik, meaning famous ruler) (ca 830 – ca 879) was a Varangian who gained control of Ladoga in 862 and built the Holmgard settlement (Ryurikovo Gorodishche) in Novgorod. ... Truvor and Sineus were, according to the Primary Chronicle, the brothers of Rurik. ... Rus’ (????, ) was a medieval East Slavic nation, which, according to the most popular (but by no means only) theory, may have taken its name from a ruling warrior class, possibly with Scandinavian roots. ... For other cities named Novgorod see Novgorod (disambiguation). ...

An approximative map of the non-Varangian cultures in European Russia, in the 9th century

In the 9th century, the Rus' operated the Volga trade route, which connected Northern Russia (Gardariki) with the Middle East (Serkland). As the Volga route declined by the end of the century, the Trade route from the Varangians to the Greeks rapidly overtook it in popularity. Apart from Ladoga and Novgorod, Gnezdovo and Gotland were major centres for Varangian trade.^[4] Image File history File links Download high resolution version (610x622, 144 KB) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (610x622, 144 KB) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... As a means of recording the passage of time the 9th century was that century that lasted from 801 to 900. ... In the Middle Ages, the Volga trade route connected Northern Europe and Northwestern Russia with the Caspian Sea. ... Gardariki (compare Icl. ... This runestone, raised circa 1040 at Gripsholm, commemorates a Viking lost during an ill-fated raid in Serkland. ... The Trade Route from the Varangians to the Greeks (Путь «из варяг в греки» in Russian) was a trade route, which connected Scandinavia, Kievan Rus and the Byzantine Empire. ... Gnezdovo or Gnyozdovo (Russian: ) is an archeological site located near the village of Gnyozdovo in Smolensk Oblast, Russia. ...   is a county and province of Sweden and the largest island in the Baltic Sea. ...

Western historians tend to agree with the Primary Chronicle that these Scandinavians founded Kievan Rus' in the 880s and gave their name to the land. Many Slavic scholars are opposed to this theory of Germanic influence on the Rus' (people) and have suggested alternative scenarios for this part of Eastern European history. Coat of arms Map of the Kievan Rus′, 11th century Capital Kiev Religion Orthodox Christianity Government Monarchy Historical era Middle Ages  - Established 9th century  - Disestablished 12th century Currency Hryvnia Kievan Rus′ was an early, mostly East Slavic[1] state dominated by the city of Kiev from about 880 to the... Rus’ (????, ) was a medieval East Slavic nation, which, according to the most popular (but by no means only) theory, may have taken its name from a ruling warrior class, possibly with Scandinavian roots. ...

In contrast to the intense Scandinavian influence in Normandy and the British Isles, Varangian culture did not survive to a great extent in the East. Instead, the Varangian ruling classes of the two powerful city-states of Novgorod and Kiev were thoroughly Slavicized by the end of the 10th century. Old Norse was spoken in one district of Novgorod, however, until the 13th century. Flag of Normandy Normandy (in French: Normandie, and in Norman: Normaundie) is a geographical region in northern France. ... The British Isles in relation to mainland Europe The British Isles (French: , Irish: [1] or Oileáin Iarthair Eorpa,[2] Manx: Ellanyn Goaldagh, Scottish Gaelic: , Welsh: ), is a group of islands off the northwest coast of continental Europe comprising Great Britain, Ireland and a number of smaller islands. ... The Novgorod Republic was an early republic that existed in the North-West territory of modern day Russia, in Novgorod lands between 1136 and 1478. ... Map of Ukraine with Kiev highlighted Coordinates: , Country Ukraine Oblast Kiev City Municipality Raion Municipality Government  - Mayor Leonid Chernovetskyi Elevation 179 m (587 ft) Population (2005)  - City 3,950,968  - Density 3,299/km² (8,544. ... Old Norse or Danish tongue is the Germanic language once spoken by the inhabitants of the Nordic countries (for instance during the Viking Age). ... (12th century - 13th century - 14th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 13th century was that century which lasted from 1201 to 1300. ...

Rus and the Byzantine Empire

The Varangians first appear in the Byzantine world in the 830s, when they raided the coast of Paphlagonia. In 839, emperor Theophilus negotiated with the foreigners, whom he called Rhos, to provide a few mercenaries for his army. The Paphlagonian expedition of the Rus is documented in the Life of St. ... Theophilus (813 - 842) was Byzantine emperor from 829 to 842. ... Originally Rus (Русь, Rus’) was a medieval country and state that comprised mostly Early East Slavs. ...

It was in 860, from Kiev, that the Rus under Askold and Dir launched their first attack on Constantinople. The result of this initial attack is disputed, but the Varangians continued their efforts as they regularly sailed on their monoxylae down the Dnieper into the Black Sea. The Rus' raids into the Caspian Sea were recorded by Arab authors in the 870s and in 910, 912, 913, 943, and later. Although the Rus had predominantly peaceful trading relations with the Byzantines, the rulers of Kiev launched the relatively successful naval expedition of 907 and the abortive campaign of 941 against Constantinople, as well as Sviatoslav I's large-scale invasion of the Balkans in 968-971. Askold (Höskuldr) and Dir (Dyri) were according to the Primary Chronicle, two of Ruriks men. ... Combatants Roman (Byzantine) Empire Rus Commanders Michael III Askold and Dir? Strength Unknown Unknown Casualties Unknown Unknown The Rus raid against Constantinople in 860 is the only major military expedition of the Khaganate of Rus recorded in Greek and Western European sources. ... A dugout is a boat which is basically a hollowed tree trunk. ... NASA satellite image of the Black Sea Map of the Black Sea The Black Sea is an inland sea between southeastern Europe and Anatolia that is actually a distant arm of the Atlantic Ocean by way of the Mediterranean Sea. ... The Caspian expeditions of the Rus were several raids undertaken by the Rus on the lands located on the shores of the Caspian Sea between 864 and 1041. ... Combatants Byzantine Empire Kievan Rus Commanders Leo the Wise Oleg of Kiev The Rus-Byzantine War of 907 is associated in the Primary Chronicle with the name of Oleg of Novgorod. ... Combatants Byzantine Empire Kievan Rus Commanders Romanus I Lecapenus Igor I of Kiev The Rus-Byzantine War of 941 took place during the reign of Igor of Kiev. ... ...

Map showing the major Varangian trade routes: the Volga trade route (in red) and the Trade Route from the Varangians to the Greeks (in purple). Other trade routes of the 8th-11th centuries shown in orange.

These raids were successful in the sense of forcing the Byzantines to re-arrange their trading arrangements; militarily, the Varangians were usually defeated by the superior Byzantine forces, especially in the sea and due to the Byzantines' use of Greek fire. Many atrocities were reported by (not wholly impartial) Greek historians during such raids: the Rus' were said to have crucified their victims and to have driven nails into their heads^{[citation needed]}. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (872x605, 859 KB) Map showing the major Varangian trade routes, the Volga trade route (in red) and the Trade Route from the Varangians to the Greeks (in purple). ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (872x605, 859 KB) Map showing the major Varangian trade routes, the Volga trade route (in red) and the Trade Route from the Varangians to the Greeks (in purple). ... In the Middle Ages, the Volga trade route connected Northern Europe and Northwestern Russia with the Caspian Sea. ... The Trade Route from the Varangians to the Greeks (Путь «из варяг в греки» in Russian) was a trade route, which connected Scandinavia, Kievan Rus and the Byzantine Empire. ... (7th century — 8th century — 9th century — other centuries) Events The Iberian peninsula is taken by Arab and Berber Muslims, thus ending the Visigothic rule, and starting almost 8 centuries of Muslim presence there. ... As a means of recording the passage of time, the 11th century was that century which lasted from 1001 to 1100. ... Treaties between the Kievan Rus and the Byzantine Empire: Rus-Byzantine Treaty (907) Rus-Byzantine Treaty (911), supplementary agreement to the one of 907 Rus-Byzantine Treaty (945) Rus-Byzantine Treaty (971) Rus-Byzantine Treaty (1045) Category: ... Greek fire was a burning-liquid weapon used by the Byzantine Greeks, typically in naval battles to great effect as it could continue burning even on water. ...

As early as 911, the Varangians are also mentioned as fighting for the Byzantines. About 700 Varangians served along with Dalmatians as marines in Byzantine naval expeditions against Crete in 902 and a force of 629 returned to Crete under Constantine Porphyrogenitus (700 and 629 troops, respectively) 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 known as the Great Companions (Gr. Μεγάλη Εταιρεία). Constantine VII Porphyrogenitos (the Purple-born) ( 905 – November 9, 959) was the son of Byzantine emperor Leo VI and nephew of Alexander III. He earned his nickname as the legitimate (or more accurately legitimized) son of Leo, as opposed to the others who claimed the throne during his lifetime. ...

With the decline of the Byzantine empire, the emperors increased their reliance on the Varangian mercenaries. In 988 Basil II requested military assistance from Vladimir of Kiev to help defend his throne. In compliance with the treaty made by his father after the Siege of Dorostolon (971), Vladimir sent 6,000 men to Basil. In exchange, Vladimir was given Basil's sister, Anna, in marriage. Vladimir also agreed to convert to Christianity and to bring his people into the Christian faith. Painting of Basil II, from an 11th century manuscript. ... Saint Vladimir Svyatoslavich the Great (c. ... Henryk Siemiradzki. ... Kingdom of Galicia Anna of Byzantium was a Byzantine noblewoman (+ after 1219), the Princess of Galicia ca 1200 - 1205, and the Grand Princess of Kiev 1203 - 1205. ... The ruins of Korsun: the place where the Russian and Ukrainian church was born. ...

In 989 the Varangian guard, led by Basil II himself, landed at Chrysopolis to defeat the rebel general Bardas Phocas. On the field of battle, Phocas died of a stroke in full view of his opponent; upon the death of their leader, Phocas' troops turned and fled. The brutality of the Varangians was noted when they pursued the fleeing army and "cheerfully hacked them to pieces." Bardas Phocas - Vardas Phokas was an eminent Byzantine general of Armenian origine who took a conspicuous part in three revolts pro and contra the ruling Macedonian dynasty. ...

Rus-Byzantine War may refer to one of the following conflicts: Rus-Byzantine War (830s) Rus-Byzantine War (860) Rus-Byzantine War (907) Rus-Byzantine War (941) Rus-Byzantine War (968-971) Rus-Byzantine War (987) Rus-Byzantine War (1024) Rus-Byzantine War (1043) Category: ... The Paphlagonian expedition of the Rus is documented in the Life of St. ... Combatants Roman (Byzantine) Empire Rus Commanders Michael III Askold and Dir? Strength Unknown Unknown Casualties Unknown Unknown The Rus raid against Constantinople in 860 is the only major military expedition of the Khaganate of Rus recorded in Greek and Western European sources. ... Combatants Byzantine Empire Kievan Rus Commanders Leo the Wise Oleg of Kiev The Rus-Byzantine War of 907 is associated in the Primary Chronicle with the name of Oleg of Novgorod. ... Combatants Byzantine Empire Kievan Rus Commanders Romanus I Lecapenus Igor I of Kiev The Rus-Byzantine War of 941 took place during the reign of Igor of Kiev. ... Sviatoslavs meeting with Emperor John by Klavdiy Lebedev, an attempt to visualise Leo the Deacons description of Sviatoslav Sviatoslav I of Kiev (East Slavic: Святослав Игоревич) (c. ... The ruins of Korsun: the place where the Russian and Ukrainian church was born. ... The penultimate Russo-Byzantine War, as documented by medieval Greek sources, took place in 1024, when a relative of the Kievan prince with eight hundred troops and forty ships penetrated into the Bosporus and, defeating a unit of the Greek coast guard, sailed into the Aegean Sea. ... The final Rus-Byzantine War was, in essence, an unsuccessful naval raid against Constantinople instigated by Yaroslav I of Kiev and led by his eldest son, Vladimir of Novgorod, in 1043. ...

Varangian Guard

It was because of Basil's distrust of the native Byzantine guardsmen, whose loyalties often shifted with fatal consequences, as well as the proven loyalty of the Varangians that led Basil to employ them as his personal bodyguards. This new force became known as the Varangian Guard (Gr. Tagma ton Varangion, Τάγμα των Βαραγγίων) Over the years, new recruits from as far abroad as Sweden, Denmark, and Norway gave a predominantly Scandinavian cast to the organization until the late 11th century.

Runic graffiti inscribed in a column in Constantinople (now Istanbul) by members of the Varangian Guard.

Composed primarily of Scandinavians for the first 100 years, the guard began to see increased inclusion of Anglo-Saxons after the successful invasion of England by the Normans. In 1088 a large number of Anglo-Saxons and Danes emigrated to the Byzantine Empire by way of the Mediterranean..^[1] 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, but those who did became so vital to the Varangians that the Guard was commonly called the Englinbarrangoi (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. Download high resolution version (517x716, 99 KB)Runic inscriptions on a Byzantine column, Istanbul. ... Download high resolution version (517x716, 99 KB)Runic inscriptions on a Byzantine column, Istanbul. ... Map of Constantinople. ... Robert Guiscard (i. ...

The duties and purpose of the Varangian Guard were similar — if not identical — to the services provided by the Kievan druzhina, the Norwegian hird, and the Scandinavian and Anglo-Saxon housecarls. The Varangians served as the personal bodyguard^[5] 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. Housecarls were household troops, personal warriors and equivalent to a royal bodyguard to Scandinavian kings. ... Housecarls were household troops, personal warriors and equivalent to a royal bodyguard to Scandinavian kings. ... Housecarls were household troops, personal warriors and equivalent to a royal bodyguard to Scandinavian kings. ... Bodyguards of Viktor Yushchenko (far left) after leaving Gdansk city hall. ...

Unlike the native Byzantine guards so mistrusted by Basil II, the Varangian guards' loyalties lay with the position of Emperor, not the man that sat on the throne. This was made clear in 969 when the guards failed to avenge the death by assassination of Emperor Nicephorus II. 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 Tzimisces, Nicephorus' 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."

While the Varangians are represented in Walter Scott's novel "Count Robert of Paris" as being the fiercest and most loyal element of the Byzantine forces, this is probably exaggerated. However, the exaggeration was begun by Byzantine writers themselves, who applied a "noble savage" identity to the Varangians. Many Byzantine writers referred to them as "axe-bearing warriors," or pelekyphoroi barbaroi, rather than Varangians.^[1] While many writers praised their loyalty to the emperors (and ascribed their loyalty to their race), the frequent usurpations that disrupted Byzantine rule suggest that the Guard was either less loyal or less effective than the sources would lead us to believe. A section of Benjamin Wests The Death of General Wolfe; Wests depiction of this Native American has been considered an idealization in the tradition of the Noble savage (Fryd, 75) In the 18th century culture of Primitivism the noble savage, uncorrupted by the influences of civilization was considered...

One notable exception to the legendary Varangian loyalty to the throne occurred in 1071. After Emperor Romanus Diogenes was defeated by Sultan Alp Arslan, a palace coup was staged before he could return to Constantinople. His stepson, Caesar John Ducas, used the Varangian guard to depose the absent emperor, arrest Empress Eudoxia, and proclaim his brother, Michael VII, as emperor. Thus, instead of defending their absent emperor, the Varangians were used by the usurpers. Michael VII Ducas or Parapinakes, was the eldest son of Constantine X Ducas and Eudocia Macrembolitissa. ...

Varangian Guardsmen, an illumination from the Skylitzis Chronicle

Like their distant brethren, the Varangians relied on a long axe as their main weapon, although they were often skilled swordsmen or archers as well. In some sources they are described as mounted. 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 at the Battle of Beroia in 1122. The Varangians hacked their way through the enemy's circle of Pecheneg wagons, collapsing the Pecheneg position and causing a general rout in their camp. Image File history File links Skylitzis_Chronicle_iLLUMINATION.jpg Summary Skylitzis Chronicle Licensing File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Varangians Byzantine literature ... Image File history File links Skylitzis_Chronicle_iLLUMINATION.jpg Summary Skylitzis Chronicle Licensing File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Varangians Byzantine literature ... John II Komnenos or Comnenus (Greek: Ιωάννης Β΄ Κομνηνός, Iōannēs II Komnēnos) (September 13, 1087 – April 8, 1143) was Byzantine emperor from 1118 to 1143. ... Combatants Byzantines Pechenegs Commanders John II Komnenos Strength 20,000 men 30,000 men The Battle of Beroia (modern Stara Zagora) was fought between the Pechenegs and Emperor John II Komnenos of the Byzantine Empire in the year 1122 in what is now Bulgaria, and resulted in the disappearance of... Events Resolution of Investiture Controversy in the Concordat of Worms Pierre Abélard writes Sic et Non Births Ben Lancaster, Gradutate, Dynamite dancer. ... The Pechenegs or Patzinaks (in Hungarian: Besenyők, Russian: Печенеги, Ukrainian: Печеніги ) were a semi-nomadic people of the Central Asian steppes speaking a Turkic language. ...

Furthermore, they were the only element of the army to successfully defend part of Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade. Of the role of the guard, then composed of the English and Danes, 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".^[1] Although the Guard was apparently disbanded after the city's capture in 1204, there are some indications that it was revived either by the Empire of Nicaea or by the Palaeologid emperors themselves, though it is not likely that they lasted long after Michael VIII.^[1] Map of Constantinople. ... The Entry of the Crusaders into Constantinople (Eugène Delacroix, 1840). ... // Events February - Byzantine emperor Alexius IV is overthrown in a revolution, and Alexius V is proclaimed emperor. ... The Empire of Nicaea was the largest of the states founded by refugees from the Byzantine Empire after Constantinople was conquered during the Fourth Crusade. ... The Double-headed eagle, emblem of the Paleologus dynasty and the Byzantine Empire. ... Michael VIII (1225 - December 11, 1282) was the founder of the Palaeologos dynasty that would rule the Byzantine Empire to the Fall of Constantinople in 1453. ...

Other than their fierce loyalty, the most recognizable attributes of the Varangian guard during the 11th century were their large axes and their penchant for drinking. There are countless stories of the Varangian guard either drinking in excess or being drunk. In 1103 during a visit to Constantinople, King Eric the Good of Denmark "exhorted members of the guard to lead a more sober life and not give themselves up to drunkenness." It is not surprising, therefore, to find a 12th century description of them as "the Emperor's wine-bags." Eric I of Man Loving (c. ...

Varangian Guard on runestones

The Byzantine cross, on U 161, a cross which is today the coat-of-arms of the local town Täby.

The great losses that the Varangian Guard suffered is probably what is reflected by the largest group of runestones that talk of foreign voyages in Sweden, i.e. the Greece Runestones^[6] of which many were raised by former members of the Varangian Guard, or in their memory. A smaller group consists of the four Italy Runestones which are probably raised in memory of members of the Varangian Guard who died in southern Italy. Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Patriarchal cross The Patriarchal cross is a variant of the Christian cross, the universal religious symbol of Christendom. ... The Eastern cross, today the coat-of-arms of Täby. ... Täby Municipality is a Municipality in central Sweden where the town of Täby (pop. ... The purple path shows the Trade route from the Varangians to the Greeks and it was probably used by many of those mentioned in the Greece Runestones. ... The purple path shows the Trade route from the Varangians to the Greeks, an eastern route that may have been used by those mentioned in the Italy Runestones. ...

The oldest of the Greece runestones are six stones in the style RAK, a style which is dated to the period before 1015 AD.^[7] The group consists of Skepptuna runestone U 358, Västra Ledinge runestone U 518, Nälberga runestone Sö 170, Eriksstad runestone Sm 46 and two runestones that were raised in memory of military commanders in Greece: Rycksta runestone Sö 163 and Grinda runestone Sö 165.^[8] The runestone styles were part of the general evolution of art in Scandinavia. ... The purple path shows the Trade route from the Varangians to the Greeks and it was probably used by many of those mentioned in the Greece Runestones. ... The purple path shows the Trade route from the Varangians to the Greeks and it was probably used by many of those mentioned in the Greece Runestones. ... The purple path shows the Trade route from the Varangians to the Greeks and it was probably used by many of those mentioned in the Greece Runestones. ... The purple path shows the Trade route from the Varangians to the Greeks and it was probably used by many of those mentioned in the Greece Runestones. ... The purple path shows the Trade route from the Varangians to the Greeks and it was probably used by many of those mentioned in the Greece Runestones. ... The purple path shows the Trade route from the Varangians to the Greeks and it was probably used by many of those mentioned in the Greece Runestones. ...

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.^[8] The runestone styles were part of the general evolution of art in Scandinavia. ... The purple path shows the Trade route from the Varangians to the Greeks and it was probably used by many of those mentioned in the Greece Runestones. ...

The youngest runestones, in the style Pr5, such as Ed runestone U 104 (presently in the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford), are dated to the period 1080-1130, after which runestones became unfashionable.^[8] The runestone styles were part of the general evolution of art in Scandinavia. ... The purple path shows the Trade route from the Varangians to the Greeks and it was probably used by many of those mentioned in the Greece Runestones. ... The Ashmolean Museum (in full the Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology) in Oxford, England is the worlds first university museum. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ...

The Varangians did not return home without a lasting imprint of Byzantine culture to which testifies a Byzantine cross carved on the early 11th century Risbyle runestone U 161, and which today is the coat-of-arms of Täby.^[9] Somewhat ironically, however, it was made by the Viking Ulfr of Báristaðir who commemorated on the Orkesta runestone U 344 that he had taken three danegelds in England.^[9] Patriarchal cross The Patriarchal cross is a variant of the Christian cross, the universal religious symbol of Christendom. ... As a means of recording the passage of time, the 11th century was that century which lasted from 1001 to 1100. ... The Eastern cross, today the coat-of-arms of Täby. ... A coat of arms or armorial bearings (often just arms for short), in European tradition, is a design belonging to a particular person (or group of people) and used by them in a wide variety of ways. ... Täby Municipality is a Municipality in central Sweden where the town of Täby (pop. ... The term Viking commonly denotes the ship-borne warriors and traders of Norsemen (literally, men from the north) who originated in Scandinavia and raided the coasts of Britain, Ireland and mainland Europe as far east as the Volga River in Russia from the late 8th–11th century. ... The church of Orkesta. ... The Danegeld was an English tribute raised to pay off Viking raiders (usually led by the Danish king) to save the land from being ravaged by the raiders. ... Motto (French) God and my right Anthem No official anthem - the United Kingdom anthem God Save the Queen is commonly used England() – on the European continent() – in the United Kingdom() Capital (and largest city) London (de facto) Official languages English (de facto) Unified  -  by Athelstan 927 AD  Area  -  Total 130...

Varangian Guard in Norse sagas

Map showing area of Scandinavian settlements during the 9th to 10th centuries. Also the trade and raid routes, often inseparable, are marked.

According to the sagas, the West Norse entered the service of the Guard considerably later than the East Norse. The Laxdœla saga, informs that the Icelander Bolli Bollason, born c. 1006, was the first known Icelander or Norwegian in the Varangian Guard.^[10] 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."^[11] The saga also records the finery his followers received from the Emperor, and the influence he held after his return to Iceland: Image File history File links Download high resolution version (947x648, 254 KB)made by me; earth pic by NASA, data from Image:Viking Age. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (947x648, 254 KB)made by me; earth pic by NASA, data from Image:Viking Age. ... This article includes a list of works cited or a list of external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks in-text citations. ... West Norse refers to Norwegian, Faroese, and Icelandic in opposition to East Norse, i. ... East Norse refers to Danish and Swedish in opposition to West Norse, i. ... Map of the district of the Laxdæla saga, from an english language translation LaxdÅ“la saga[1] is the saga of the clan/family of Laxárdalur. ... Varangian Guardsmen, from the near contempory Skylitzis Chronicle. ...

"Bolli rode from the ship with twelve men, and all his followers were dressed in scarlet, and rode on gilt saddles, and all were they a trusty band, though Bolli was peerless among them. He had on the clothes of fur which the Garth-king had given him, he had over all a scarlet cape; and he had Footbiter girt on him, the hilt of which was dight with gold, and the grip woven with gold, he had a gilded helmet on his head, and a red shield on his flank, with a knight painted on it in gold. He had a dagger in his hand, as is the custom in foreign lands; and whenever they took quarters the women paid heed to nothing but gazing at Bolli and his grandeur, and that of his followers."^[12]

The Varangian Guard is mentioned also in Njal's Saga in reference to Kolskegg - an Icelander said to have come first to Holmgard (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."^[13] Njáls saga (also known as The Story of Burnt Njál) is an epic of Icelandic literature from the 13th century that describes the progress of a 50-year blood feud. ... For other cities named Novgorod see Novgorod (disambiguation). ...

Perhaps the most famous member of the Varangian Guard was the future king Harald Sigurdsson III of Norway, known as Harald Hardråde ("Hard-ruler"^[14]). 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, as well as in southern Italy and Bulgaria. Harald III Sigurdsson (1015 – September 25, 1066), later surnamed Harald HardrÃ¥de (Old Norse: Haraldr harðráði, roughly translated as Harald stern council or hard ruler) was the king of Norway from 1047[1] until 1066. ... Gardariki (compare Icl. ... Combatants Byzantine Empire[1], Arab Ghassanids, Bulgarian Empire (later) Muslim Arabs (Rashidun and Umayyad Caliphates) The Byzantine-Arab Wars was a long drawn-out war between the Byzantine Empire and the emerging Arab Empire. ... Door of the Abbey of S. Maria di Maniace. ...

During his time in the Varangian guard Harald earned the titles of manglavites and spatharocandidatos. 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, and saga sources suggest he was the one sent to blind the Emperor when he and his uncle fled to the church of Studion Monastery and clung to the altar. Michael V Calaphates (1015 - August 24, 1042) (in Greek Μιχαήλ Καλαφάτης, meaning the caulker), was the nephew and successor as Byzantine emperor of Michael IV and adoptive son of his wife Zoë. His surname reflected the early... Byzantine miniature depicting the Studion. ...

Harald then sought to leave his post, but was denied this. He eventually escaped and returned home in 1043. The exiled English prince Edgar Ætheling may also have served with the Guard around 1098. // Events Edward the Confessor crowned King of England at Winchester Cathedral. ... Edgar Ætheling[1], also known as Edgar the Outlaw, (c. ... Events First Crusade: end of the siege of Antioch. ...

See also

Look up Varangian in
Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

• For the Scandinavians who travelled westward, see Vikings
• Rurik, Rulers of Kievan Rus
• Roslagen, Svealand, Svear
• Byzantine aristocracy and bureaucracy
• New Varangian Guard

Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Wiktionary (a portmanteau of wiki and dictionary) is a multilingual, Web-based project to create a free content dictionary, available in over 150 languages. ... The name Viking is a loan from the native Scandinavian term for the Norse seafaring warriors who raided the coasts of Scandinavia, Europe and the British Isles from the late 8th century to the 11th century, the period of European history referred to as the Viking Age. ... Rurik or Riurik (Russian: , Old East Norse Rørik, meaning famous ruler) (ca 830 – ca 879) was a Varangian who gained control of Ladoga in 862 and built the Holmgard settlement (Ryurikovo Gorodishche) in Novgorod. ... Riurik, a semi-legendary Scandinavian Varangian, was at the roots of Kievan Rus. ... Roslagen is the name of the coastal areas of Uplandia in Sweden, which also constitutes the northern part of the Stockholm Archipelago. ... Svealand Swedens historical four lands. ... Suiones, Swedes, Svíar or Svear, were an ancient Germanic tribe in Scandinavia. ... Painting of Emperor Basil II, exemplifying the Imperial Crown handed down by Angels. ...

Primary sources

• Russian Primary Chronicle
• The Strategikon by Kekaumenos
• The Alexiad by Anna Komnena
• The Historia ecclesiatica by Ordericus Vitalis
• The Chronicon universale anonymi Laudunensis
• The Jatvardar saga
• The Heimskringla
• The Laxdœla saga

The Russian Primary Chronicle (Russian: Повесть временных лет, Povest vremennykh let, which is often translated in English as Tale of Bygone Years), is a history of the early East Slavic state, Kievan Rus, from... Strategikon (6th century) is a manual of war by Byzantine emperor Maurice I; it is moreover a practical manual, a rather modest elementary handbook, in the words of its introduction, for those devoting themselves to generalship. ... Kekaumenos is the family name of the otherwise anonymous Byzantine author of a Strategikon composed c. ... The Alexiad is a medieval biographical text written around the year 1148 by the Byzantine historian Anna Comnena, daughter of Emperor Alexius I. Within the Alexiad, she describes the political and military history of the Byzantine Empire during the reign of her father (1081-1118), making it one of the... Anna Comnena or better Komnene (Greek: Άννα Κομνηνή, Anna KomnÄ“nÄ“) (December 1, 1083 – 1153). ... Heimskringla is the Old Norse name of a collection of sagas recorded in Iceland around 1225 by the poet and historian Snorri Sturluson (1179-1242). ... Map of the district of the Laxdæla saga, from an english language translation LaxdÅ“la saga[1] is the saga of the clan/family of Laxárdalur. ...

Sources

• Sigfus Blondal. Varangians of Byzantium: An Aspect of Byzantine Military History. Trans. by Benedikt S. Benedikz, Cambridge: 1978. ISBN 0-521-21745-8
• H.R. Ellis Davidson. The Viking Road to Byzantium. London: 1976. ISBN 0-04-940049-5

External links

• English Refugees in the Byzantine Armed Forces: The Varangian Guard and Anglo-Saxon Ethnic Consciousness by Nicholas C.J. Pappas for De Re Militari.org

Notes

	Garðaríki
	Volkhov-Volga trade route: Lyubsha | Aldeigja | Álaborg | Duboviki | Hólmgarðr | Sarskoe | Timerevo
	Dvina-Dnieper trade route: Pallteskja | Gnezdovo | Chernigov | Kænugarðr
	Other locations: Bjarmaland | Khortitsa | White Shores | Miklagarðr | Særkland
	Varangians | Rus' | Slavs | Merya | Bulgars | Khazars