"Byzantines destroyed the attacking vessels and defeated Vladimir These raids were successful in forcing the Byzantines to re-arrange their trading arrangements; militarily, the Varangians were usually defeated by the superior Byzantine forces, especially in the sea due to Byzantine use of Greek fire. The Varangian Guard (Greek: Τάγμα των Βαράγγων, ""Tágma tōn Varángōn"") were a part of Byzantine Army and personal bodyguards of the Byzantine emperors from the 10th to the 14th centuries. Initially the guard was composed of Varangians who came from Kievan Rus'. The guard was first formed under Emperor Basil II after 988, following the Christianization of"
"emissaries are first known to have visited Byzantium, Scandinavians served as mercenaries in the service of the Byzantine Empire. In the late 10th century, a new unit of the imperial bodyguard formed. Traditionally containing large numbers of Scandinavians, it was known as the Varangian Guard. The word ""Varangian"" may have originated in Old Norse, but in Slavic and Greek it could refer either to Scandinavians or Franks. The most eminent Scandinavian to serve in the Varangian Guard was Harald Hardrada, who subsequently established himself as king of Norway (1047–1066). There is archaeological evidence that Vikings reached Baghdad, the centre of"
"from Västergötland stated that no one could inherit while staying in ""Greece"" — the then Scandinavian term for the Byzantine Empire. In the eleventh century, there were also two other European courts that recruited Scandinavians: Kievan Rus', c. 980–1060, and London, 1018–1066 (the Þingalið). Composed primarily of Scandinavians for the first hundred years, the guard increasingly included Anglo-Saxons after the successful Norman Conquest of England. By the time of 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 and their cousins the"
"of Civetot for Alexios I. 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. Writing about the unit as it was in 1080, the chronicler and princess Anna Komnene refers to these ""axe-bearing barbarians"" as being ""from Thule"", likely a reference to the British Isles or Scandinavia. Likewise, the Byzantine civil-servant, soldier and historian John Kinnamos calls these ""axe-bearers"" that guarded the Emperor ""the British"
"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, 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. The earliest members of the Varangian guard came"
"by then to a small force, barely exceeding 20,000 men at most, would continue to defend the empire ably until the fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Turks in 1453. In no small part due to increased reliance on mercenaries from the ""Latin"" west, the later tagmatic armies would come to resemble those of western Europe at the time, more than their Roman, Greek or Near-Eastern antecedents. The bulk of the Byzantine infantry were the ""skoutatoi"", named from the word ""skouton"", for their large oval or kite-shaped shield. Their armor and weapons included: Each unit had different shield decoration. Unarmoured"
"Normans"". The Anglo-Saxons and other Germanic peoples shared with the Vikings a tradition of faithful, oath-bound service (to death if necessary), and after the Norman Conquest of England there were many fighting men, who had lost their lands and former masters, looking for a living elsewhere. The Varangian Guard not only provided security for Byzantine emperors but participated in many wars involving Byzantium and often played a crucial role, since it was usually employed at critical moments of battle. By the late 13th century, Varangians were mostly ethnically assimilated by Byzantines, though the guard operated until at least the mid-14th"
"other units, it included ""legatarioi"" (Greek: λεγατάριοι, ""legatees""), ""thyrōroi"" (Greek: θυρωροί, ""doorkeepers""), ""skoutarioi"" (Greek: σκουτάριοι, ""shield-bearers"") and ""diatrechontes"" (Greek: διατρέχοντες, ""runners""). Vigla (tagma) The Vigla (, ""guard watch"", from ), also known as the Arithmos (, ""Number"") and in English as the Watch, was one of the elite ""tagmata"" of the Byzantine army. It was established in the latter half of the 8th century, and survived until the late 11th century. Along with the ""Noumeroi"" regiment, the ""Vigla"" formed the guard of the imperial palace in Constantinople, and was responsible for the Byzantine emperor's safety on expeditions. The ""Vigla"" or"
"Orthodoxy and were gradually merging with the local East Slavic population, becoming known as the Russians. The North Germanic diaspora in the area were thereafter called Varangians. Many of them served in the Varangian Guard, the personal bodyguard of the Byzantine emperors. Among the prominent Scandinavians who served in the Varangian Guard were Norwegian king Harald Hardrada. While the Danes and Swedes were active in Francia and Russia respectively, North Germanic tribes from Norway were actively exploring the North Atlantic. These Vikings were the first sailors in naval history to venture out into the open sea. This initially resulted in"
"would simply be divided by ethnicity and called after their native lands: the Inglinoi (Englishmen), the Phragkoi (Franks), the Skythikoi (Scythians), the Latinikoi (Latins), and so on. Ethiopians even served during the reign of Theophilos. These mercenary units, especially the Skythikoi, were also often used as a police force in Constantinople. The most famous of all Byzantine regiments was the legendary Varangian Guard. This unit traced its roots to the 6,000 Rus sent to Emperor Basil II by Vladimir of Kiev in 988. The tremendous fighting abilities of these axe-wielding, barbarian Northerners and their intense loyalty (bought with much gold)"
"Akritai The Akritai (, singular: Akritēs, ) is a term used in the Byzantine Empire in the 9th–11th centuries to denote the army units guarding the Empire's eastern border, facing the Muslim states of the Middle East. Their exploits, embellished, inspired the Byzantine ""national epic"" of ""Digenes Akritas"" and the cycle of the Acritic songs. The term is derived from the Greek word ""akron""/""akra"", meaning border; similar border guards, the ""limitanei"", were employed in the late Roman and early Byzantine armies to guard the frontiers (""limes""). In official Byzantine use, the term is non-technical, and used in a descriptive manner,"
"Norse cast to the organization until the late 11th century. According to the late Swedish historian Alf Henrikson 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 sewn on their chainmail shirts. In these years, Scandinavian men left to enlist in the Byzantine Varangian Guard in such numbers that a medieval Swedish law, Västergötlagen, from Västergötland declared no one could inherit while staying in ""Greece""—the then Scandinavian term for the Byzantine Empire—to stop the emigration, especially as two other European courts"
"Constantinople (the Varangian Guard) 988-1204, and England 1018-1051. Scandinavia was however also a recruiting area for attacks against England and this is why a defence needed to be organized by the Danish king Cnut the Great. The Thingmen attracted Swedish mercenaries, and probably some Norwegian as well. In 1012 King Æthelred the Unready of England ended several years of devastating attacks by a Danish army led by Thorkell the Tall by making a huge payment of Danegeld. Most of the raiders dispersed, but Thorkell himself entered English service with 45 ships and their crews. This force, based at Greenwich, was"
"late as 1195, Emperor Alexios Angelos sent emissaries to Denmark, Norway and Sweden requesting 1,000 warriors from each of the three kingdoms. Stationed in Constantinople, which the Scandinavians referred to as ""Miklagarðr"" (the ""Great City""), the Guard attracted young Scandinavians of the sort that had composed it since its creation in the late 10th century. The large number of men who departed for the Byzantine Empire is indicated by the fact that the medieval Scandinavian laws still contained laws concerning voyages to Greece when they were written down after the Viking Age. The older version of the ""Westrogothic law"", which"
"Vigla (tagma) The Vigla (, ""guard watch"", from ), also known as the Arithmos (, ""Number"") and in English as the Watch, was one of the elite ""tagmata"" of the Byzantine army. It was established in the latter half of the 8th century, and survived until the late 11th century. Along with the ""Noumeroi"" regiment, the ""Vigla"" formed the guard of the imperial palace in Constantinople, and was responsible for the Byzantine emperor's safety on expeditions. The ""Vigla"" or ""Arithmos"" was the third of the imperial ""tagmata"" to be established, with its commander attested for the first time in 791."
"force and the elite of the Byzantine infantry. It was composed principally of Norsemens, Nordic, Slavic and Germanic peoples, after 1066 it was increasingly English in composition. The Varangians served as the bodyguard (escort) of the emperor since the time of Basil II, and were generally considered to be well-disciplined and loyal so long as funds remained to pay them. Although most of them brought their weapons with them when entering the Emperor's service, they did gradually adopt Byzantine military dress and equipment. Their most characteristic weapon was a heavy axe, hence their designation as ""pelekyphoros phroura"", the ""axe-bearing guard""."
"had their lands taken away. Members of King Harold Godwinson's family sought refuge in Ireland and used their bases in that country for unsuccessful invasions of England. The largest single exodus occurred in the 1070s, when a group of Anglo-Saxons in a fleet of 235 ships sailed for the Byzantine Empire. The empire became a popular destination for many English nobles and soldiers, as the Byzantines were in need of mercenaries. The English became the predominant element in the elite Varangian Guard, until then a largely Scandinavian unit, from which the emperor's bodyguard was drawn. Some of the English migrants"
"that country for unsuccessful invasions of England. The largest single exodus occurred in the 1070s, when a group of Anglo-Saxons in a fleet of 235 ships sailed for the Byzantine Empire. The empire became a popular destination for many English nobles and soldiers, as the Byzantines were in need of mercenaries. The English became the predominant element in the elite Varangian Guard, until then a largely Scandinavian unit, from which the emperor's bodyguard was drawn. Some of the English migrants were settled in Byzantine frontier regions on the Black Sea coast, and established towns with names such as New London"
"Europe. The Byzantine army maintained units of heavily armored cavalrymen up until its final years, mostly in the form of Western European ""Latinikon"" mercenaries, while neighbouring Bulgars, Serbs, Avars, Russian states, Alans, Lithuanians, Khazars and other Eastern European and Eurasian peoples emulated Byzantine military equipment. During medieval times, the Draco banner and Tamga of Sarmatian cataphracts belonging to the tribe of Royal Sarmatians, was used by the Clan of Ostoja and become Ostoja coat of arms. As Western European metalwork became increasingly sophisticated, the traditional image of the cataphract's awe-inspiring might and presence quickly evaporated. From the 15th century and"
"Varangian Guard, the elite guard of the Byzantine Emperor, and they probably died while fighting in southern Italy against the local Lombard principalities or the invading Normans. Many of their brothers-in-arms are remembered on the 28 Greece runestones most of which are found in the same part of Sweden. The young men who applied for a position in the Varangian guard were not uncouth roughnecks, as in the traditional stereotype, but instead, it appears that they were usually fit and well-raised young warriors who were skilled in weapons. They were the kind of warriors who were welcome as the elite"
"The perhaps most famous ""manglabitēs"" was the Norwegian king Harald Hardrada, who received the title in recognition of his services in the Varangian Guard in the 1030s. Manglabites The Manglabites or Manglavites (, ""manglabitai""; sing. μαγ[γ]λαβίτης, ""manglabitēs"") were a corps of bodyguards in the Byzantine Empire. Their name derives from the term ""manglabion"" (μαγγλάβιον, ""cudgel"") which was also used to designate the entire corps. The origin of the term itself is debated: one theory regards it as deriving from Arabic ""mijlab"" (""whip""), while another from Latin ""manus"" (""hand"") and ""clava"" (""cudgel""). The ""manglabitai"" first appear in the 9th century, when,"
"found was in Nolinge, near Stockholm, in 1952. Scandinavians had served as mercenaries in the Roman army many centuries before the Viking Age, but during the time when the stones were made, there were more contacts between Scandinavia and Byzantium than at any other time. Swedish Viking ships were common on the Black Sea, the Aegean Sea, the Sea of Marmara and on the wider Mediterranean Sea. Greece was home to the Varangian Guard, the elite bodyguard of the Byzantine Emperor, and until the Komnenos dynasty in the late 11th century, most members of the Varangian Guard were Swedes. As"
"The Guard was first formally constituted under Emperor Basil II in 988, following the Christianization of Kievan Rus' by Vladimir I of Kiev. Vladimir, who had recently usurped power in Kiev with an army of Varangian warriors, sent 6,000 men to Basil as part of a military assistance agreement. Basil's distrust of the native Byzantine 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 Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Iceland kept a predominantly"
"the Varangian Guard. They were chosen among war-prone peoples, of whom the Varangians (Norsemen) were preferred. Their mission was to protect the Emperor and Empire and since they did not have links to the Greeks, they were expected to be ready to suppress rebellions. One of the most famous guards was the future king Harald III of Norway, also known as Harald Hardrada (""Hard-counsel""), who arrived in Constantinople in 1035 and was employed as a Varangian Guard. He participated in eighteen battles and was promoted to ""akolythos"", the commander of the Guard, before returning home in 1043. He was killed"
"breakthrough by enemy cavalry. However, modern historians suggest that the Byzantines adopted the Graeco-Roman testudo military formation, in which soldiers would stand shoulder-to-shoulder with shields held high and an arrangement of 10 to 20 men would be completely shielded on all sides from missile fire, each soldier providing cover for an adjoining companion. The Byzantine cavalry was armed with a long sword, known as the ""spathion"". They would also have had a light wooden lance, known as a ""kontarion"" and a bow (""toxarion"") with forty arrows in a quiver, hung from a saddle or from the belt. Heavy infantry, known"
"with the ""thema"" of Calabria, although the duration of this arrangement is unclear. At any rate, after c. 965, the two ""themata"" were permanently united into the new Catepanate of Italy, with the catepan's seat again at Bari. The Varangian Guard fought as part of the Byzantine army in several campaigns in the area, known to them as ""Langbardland""; in their Scandinavian homleand, their exploits are commemorated in the Italy runestones. Longobardia Longobardia (, also variously Λογγιβαρδία, ""Longibardia"" and Λαγουβαρδία, ""Lagoubardia"") was a Byzantine term for the territories controlled by the Lombards in Italy. In the 9th-10th centuries, it was"
"simultaneously also recruited Scandinavians: Kievan Rus' c. 980–1060 and London 1018–1066 (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 and their cousins the Normans"". 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"
"who is mentioned on two stones, took part in these battles as a member of the Byzantine Emperor's elite unit, the Varangian Guard since they use a name based on the Greek name for the region. Below follows a presentation of the Italy Runestones, organised according to location. The transcriptions from runic inscriptions into standardised Old Norse are in Old East Norse (OEN), the Swedish and Danish dialect, to facilitate comparison with the inscriptions, while the English translation provided by Rundata give the names in the standard dialect, Old West Norse (OWN), the Icelandic and Norwegian dialect. There is a"
"increased the number of shipwrecks. The western Mediterranean came under the control of the barbarians, after their invasion split the Empire in two, while Byzantium dominated the eastern half of the sea. The eastern empire lasted until 1453, such was the efficiency of the Byzantine navy, with its fleets armed with Byzantine fire (or Greek fire), a mixture of naphtha oil and saltpetre, fired through tubes in the bows of the ship. Enemy ships were often afraid to get too close to the Byzantine fleet, since the liquid fire gave the Byzantines a considerable advantage. Also called the Vikings, the"
"Both names derive from the Latin terminology of the Late Roman army: the term ""vigilia"" was applied from the 4th century onto any kind of guard detachment, while ""arithmos"" is the Greek translation of the Latin ""numerus"", both titles being used in a generic sense for ""regiment"". In literary sources, ""Vigla"" is more commonly used than ""Arithmos"", and is also the title used in the seals of its commanders. Its exact date of creation is contested among modern historians of the Byzantine army: Byzantinist John Haldon considers that the ""Vigla"" was established as a ""tagma"" by the Empress Irene in"
"Jovians and Herculians The Jovians () and Herculians (Latin: ""Herculiani"") were the senior palatine imperial guard units under the rule of Diocletian (r. 284–305). They continued in existence thereafter as senior units in the field armies of the Western and Eastern Roman Empires. The name originated in the equation of the two co-emperors Diocletian and Maximian with the Roman gods Jove and Hercules. The old-established Praetorian Guard was based at the ""Castra Praetoria"" in Rome, and had frequently proved disloyal, making and deposing emperors and even on one occasion in 193 putting the Imperial throne up for auction to the"
"the late Roman and Byzantine armies, similar formations of locked shields and projecting spears were called ""fulcum"" (φοῦλκον, ""phoulkon"" in Greek), and were first described in the late 6th-century ""Strategikon"". Roman legions were typically well-trained, and often used short stabbing-swords (such as the Gladius) in the close-quarters combat that inevitably resulted when their shield-walls contacted the enemy. As Auxiliaries were often less well-armed, a shield-wall with spearmen was commonly used to provide a better defence. The shield-wall was commonly used in many parts of Northern Europe, such as England and Scandinavia. In the battles between the Anglo-Saxons and the Danes"
"century, and in 1400 there were still some people identifying themselves as ""Varangians"" in Constantinople. Primary sources Additional secondary sources Varangians The Varangians (; ; Greek: Βάραγγοι, ""Várangoi"", Βαριάγοι, ""Variágoi"") was the name given by Greeks, Rus' people, Ruthenians, and others to Vikings, who between the 9th and 11th centuries, ruled the medieval state of Kievan Rus', settled among many territories of modern Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine, and formed the Byzantine Varangian Guard. According to the 12th century Kievan ""Primary Chronicle"", a group of Varangians known as the Rus' settled in Novgorod in 862 under the leadership of Rurik. Before"