In the year 989 AD, Basil the second, Emperor of
the Romans, sat uneasily on his throne. His realm was splintered between numerous factions, all
fighting to be recognized as the true Heir of Rome. Constantinople itself was under threat and
all hope seemed lost. Yet in his darkest hour, the beleaguered ruler would be saved
by a fleet rowing down from the north. Aboard were six thousand veteran mercenaries sent
south by Prince Vladimir of Kiev. Their arrival would mark the beginning of a legendary legacy.
Now Basil and these new allies descended upon the rebel forces with vengeful fury. In a single
night of blood and fire the back of the rebellion would be broken and within a month the rest of
the resistance was crushed. From the ashes of war would rise a newly invigorated Byzantine
Empire, strengthened by axe wielding giants that from now on would come to form the core of
its formidable military. These were the Varangian Guard, stalwart defenders of the imperial
throne, whose watch would last over 400 years. you can learn much more about the life of ancient
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by clicking the link in the description enjoy The Roman Empire had slowly arisen over 1,000
years, coming to eventually dominate all of the Mediterranean and its border regions. Thus it
came to be that lands which had once been ruled by hundreds of kings were now dominated by a single
man. At its peak, the Empire was more than capable of holding these vast lands together. However as
the centuries rolled by, internal and external factors made it increasingly difficult to hold
it all together. In 293 AD, Emperor Diocletian would seek to stabilize the realm by means of a
power sharing agreement whereby a pair of senior and junior emperors ruled the east and west.
While this exact arrangement would not last long, the concept of a formally divided realm
would. Each side would have an entwined history, sharing many cultural features and both
identifying as Roman. However now their fates were no longer locked together. It is this fact which
allowed the east to carry on the torch of Rome long after the west had fallen in the late 5th
century AD. Known today as the Byzantine Empire, they were the culmination of a thousand years of
history that would persevere for a thousand more. There were many factors which contributed
to its success, ranging from the economic to the geo-political. However, as one might
imagine, its military might was one of the major keys to its success. Long gone was the
Roman army of old. While it had proved ideally suited for conquering the Mediterranean, the
nature of warfare shifted over the years, forcing it to evolve to meet the ever changing
needs of the Empire. By the 10th century AD, the Byzantine Army had adopted a new
system that will be worth explaining. It was made of several elements which worked
together as a well oiled machine. Perhaps the largest groups were the “Thematic Armies”. These
were composed of men who had been given land by the Empire in return for a military obligation
to bear arms or pay extra taxes in war. Both Thematic infantry and cavalry units existed with a
range in quality that should be expected from such provincial levied forces. While not the best of
the best, they were nonetheless sturdy and useful troops which could be raised in a flexible, though
usually defensive, manner as the need arose. On the other end of the spectrum were
the professional standing soldiers. Though fewer in number they were the formidable
core around which the rest of the Byzantine Army was deployed. Among their order were many elite
guard regiments of both mounted and foot troops who could trace their origins back to
the Roman army of old. Increasingly however mercenaries were being used to bolster
their ranks. These came in all sorts of forms, as the rulers of Constantinople were
always looking for ways to use their vast wealth to acquire military talent
wherever they could find it. Such mercenaries were grouped together in an
umbrella organization known as the Hetairai and were akin to a Foreign Legion. They
were typically obtained in bulk through direct treaties between the reigning emperor
and neighboring rulers. In addition their pay came from the emperor himself rather than the
imperial treasury. As private hires, they were therefore technically a separate part of the army,
which was, regardless of ethnicity or origin, always tied to the imperial bodyguard. Such an
arrangement was by design as it ensured that the men entrusted with the monarch’s safety were
the ones who were directly tied to his own coin. Over the years, all kinds of mercenaries would
be employed by the Byzantine Emperors. However the most famous of these were the Varangian
Guards which shall be the main subject of our video today. But just how did these men of the
north come to find themselves in such a position? The answer is that they followed the
same path as most other mercenaries of the Hetairai: through treaties. But
such deals don’t just come out of nowhere. It turns out that the rulers of Constantinople had
a long history of interactions with the men of the north. In fact this dated back to the early
days of antiquity when goods like amber, fur, and livestock poured into the Mediterranean from
Scandinavia by way of the eastern European rivers that flowed into the Black Sea. The Byzantines
made sure to keep a watchful eye on this frontier involving themselves in the politics of the
interior to ensure that trade continued to flow and to ward off potential attacks. In this last regard though they were not always
successful. We have records of many raids issuing from the Black Sea and making ever more daring
assaults across.the wealthy lands of the south. This in part seems to have been a result of the
rise of the Rus. They were a Norse people who had settled along the North-South merchant routes,
assimilating with the Slavs of Modern Ukraine and eastern Europe. As ancestral traders and vikings,
they quickly came to dominate the region’s economic activity and proved quite disruptive
to the steppe politics of the area. Thus the Byzantines were forced to factor them into the
foreign policy calculus on this frontier. Over the 9th to 10th centuries a series of treaties
would be signed between the Rus and the Byzantines as both sides sized each other up. For instance
fighting between the two seems to have resulted in an 874 treaty which obliged the Rus to provide
men for Byzantine service. A few years later, a 907 treaty appears to have negotiated merchant
rights while the more substantive treaty of 911 expands talks to include matters of maritime
trade, colonial rights, and mercenary service. This would be the seed for the Varangian Guard. At first men came down from the north in dribs
and drabs, finding employ in the Hetairai as individuals or small groups. Supposedly
around 700 of them served as marines in a Naval expedition against Crete while around 400
joined the Byzantines for an Italian expedition. However it would be in the year 988
when they finally came in full force. This occurred when Emperor Basil the Second
requested military assistance from Vladimir the First of Kiev in accordance with a prior
agreement established following the Byzantine victory at the siege of Dorostolon. Now Vladimir
would send 6,000 warriors, supposedly his most unruly men, to bolster the forces of the Emperor.
In exchange the Kievan prince was given Basil’s sister in marriage while agreeing to convert
and bring his people to the Christian faith. The Varangians would be exactly what Basil needed. Not just an elite corp of veteran warriors
with which to smite his enemies in the field but also a trustworthy force who would watch
his back 24/7 in the dangerous world of shifting loyalties that was the Byzantine Empire.
The Varangian Guard had just been born. Let us now trace how one would become
a Varangian Guardsman. For starters, all came from the far off lands to the
north. While in reality they belonged to a variety of different communities, the
Byzantines often lumped them all together as Varangians, a name whose etymology can be traced
back to the Old Norse root of something like “sworn companion”. These lands far beyond the
Mediterranean were poorly understood, often being described as a sort of semi-mythical land
of barbarians. But the mystery worked both ways. The Medieval Scandinavians too were only
dimly aware of what lay to the distant south. What they did hear were rumors and stories
which circulated back up the merchant routes. These spoke of a far off land, known to them
as Miklagard, where one could find a city of immeasurable wealth. Songs and sagas
told of how it's very rivers ran with gold. Such fanciful tales were common
at the time and surely there were skeptics. At first only the most adventurous or desperate
may have gone. Their gamble though was richly rewarded with fortune beyond anything they had
seen in their lives. The greatest among them returned from the land of the Romans with
enough wealth and prestige to forge kingdoms and inspire the skalds for hundreds of years. For
instance while serving as a Varangian Guard, Harald Hadrada would become one of the wealthiest
Scandinavians of his age, eventually using his vast treasures to take over the throne of
Norway, unifying the nation, and inspiring legends that would be told for centuries.
I’ll now quote a few lines from his saga: Bleak gales lashed prows
hard along the shoreline. Iron-shielded, our ships
rode proud to harbour. Of Miklagard, our famous prince
first saw the golden gables. Many a sea-ship, fine arrayed,
swept toward the high-walled city. This sort of tale proved infections. Soon people
from all walks of life were making their way south to strike it rich. This proved so destabilizing
to the culture that laws had to be passed to deal with the implications of the gold rush.
For instance we have evidence of prohibitions being made to keep men who were actively serving
in Greece from inheriting property back home. Traditionally, a prospective Varangian would
travel with the great trading fleets that sailed south from the city of Novgorod.
They would sail down the River Lovat and portage their longships overland to the Dneipr
before making the journey down to Kiev. From there they braved the Seven Cataracts and sailed south
across the Black Sea. Finally they would arrive at the city of Constantinople and behold the majesty
of a capital they had dreamed of for months. These men typically came in groups with their
own commanders and would remain with their units once they were taken into service. Harald
Hadrada for instance brought his own contingent of 500 Varangians which remained a discrete
mercenary company until they were formally integrated into the Byzantine army. The exact
way in which a particular group of northmen was employed would vary. Generally though this
would take 3 forms; as the Sailing Varangians, the Mercenary Varangians, or
the Varangians of the City. The Sailing Varangians essentially functioned as coast guard privateers. They manned their own
light, fast vessels which patrolled the sea lanes, protecting them from pirates. In exchange for
this service they were allowed to keep whatever plunder was gathered from a defeated ship with
only a token tithe being owed to the Emperor. The Varangian Mercenaries acted as a part of
the wider mercenary corps of the Hetairai we previously mentioned. As such they were used
as garrison troops or standing forces, and were always sent wherever fighting was fiercest or
territory was most contested. These Varangians were renowned for their absolute loyalty and,
unlike standard troops, could be relied on to never betray their city or army. They had the most
possibilities for plunder and profit of any unit in the Byzantine military, being given the right
to be the first ones to loot any conquered city. The final form of employment and the most
prestigious was the group referred to as the ‘Varangians of the City’ whom we
know today as the Varangian Guard. Alongside all of the privileges given to the
other, lower tier Varangians, these men were showered in even more gold. The average Varangian
of the City was paid anywhere from thirty to forty gold nomismata a month - about 30-40 times
the average pay of an unskilled worker. The Guard as a whole also received one
third of the total loot taken in battle, with the other two thirds going to the emperor and
the rest of the army. Whenever a new emperor took the throne, in addition to the bonus that every
new emperor paid to all standing military units, it was traditional for the Varangians to ‘raid’
the previous emperor’s private quarters and take as much as they could carry. All
in all, it was a Viking's dream job. Because of all this, positions in the Varangian
Guard were highly sought after and very competitive. Only those of sufficient reputation,
connections, and wealth could rise to the top. The few who made it into their ranks were
intensely protective of their position, making them unshakably loyal
to their unit and the Emperor. Let us now take a closer look at the
fearsome disposition of these warriors. The ancient historian Michael Psellos
describes them in the following manner: quote “Next to them stood men from the
foreign mercenaries […] Tauro-Scythians, terrible of aspect and huge of body. The
soldiers were […] blue-eyed […] [and] kept their natural complexion […] the Varangians fight
like madmen, as if ablaze with wrath.” Their arms, shoulders, and faces were also reported to
be tattooed; a custom taken from the Turks. As for their equipment, when an adventurer
headed south to the land of the Greeks, he would generally bring with him the gear of his
native land. For defense this meant donning pants, a shirt, mail armour, a nasal helmet, and a
norse-style shield. For offense they might have a spear, axe, or sword. One traditional
weapon which had a fearsome reputation were the massive two-handed battleaxes. Yet as
they adjusted to work under Byzantine employ, and subsequently moved up the ranks,
they would usually adopt new gear. This was made possible by their newfound wealth
in addition to their access to superior armouries which could be found in and around Constantinople.
When it came to defense it seems that simple chain shirts were now traded in for longer
pieces which covered more of the body and even rose to cover their faces. Over
this was worn additional lamellar armour and ornate helmets, as well as arm and shin
guards. Such was the increased weight of all this material that warriors often wore what is known
as the leather “Varangian Bra” for support. But that wasn’t all. They also wielded larger, more
elaborately decorated shields, with many Guards adopting the great kite design of the Byzantines
which put to shame their old Nordic hand-me-downs. In terms of offense, the Varangians seem
to have remained relatively faithful to their heritage though often weapons
were upgraded with precious metal. For instance while a warrior might hold onto
his great axe he would probably also have acquired a more lavish greek sword as a sidearm
or backup. One item which seems to have been quite popular though was the rhomphaia, a distinctly
Byzantine weapon descended from the ancient falx. It was alternately described as a polearm
tipped with a long concave curved blade or a sword about a meter long with a single
edge curved blade. Such was its prominence among the Varangians of the City that it became
known as the symbol of the Emperor's bodyguard. All in all it can be said that just lookin
at these hulking, bejeweled warriors would put fear into the heart of any man who
faced them. This would only have been enhanced by stories of their mysterious “Gothic Dance”
which reportedly featured Varangians performing a ritual in animal skins and masks while
chanting and clashing weapons against shields. Now let us turn to a discussion of how
they were put to use by the Emperors. As we mentioned previously, the Varangians
were a part of the Hetairai corps of the Byzantine Army. Its organization is poorly
understood. Some sources from the middle period mention the Hetairai as being composed of
3 or 4 units which were further broken down into companies. All together, some historians
have estimated their strength at around 1 to 2 thousand. However this would all have changed with
the arrival of the Varangians in the 10th century and the reforms of the Komnenos dynasty of the
11th century. When these get mentioned by our sources, its all done in a rather eclectic manner.
Mentions vary from a few hundred guardsmen holding the capital to a few thousand marching on campaign
with not much context. As such it is quite hard to reconstruct the organization of the Varangian
Guard. Likely it was made up of several sub-units with various ranks of officers. What these were
remains a mystery and probably changed over time. We do however know a bit about their
top commander. Known as the Akolouthos, or ‘the man just behind the emperor’, he was
a figure of extremely high importance. In fact it was said that when the Emperor was away, he was
the one entrusted with the keys to Constantinople. Initially the Akolouthos seems to have commanded
the entire Hetairai. Later he would exclusively lead the Varangians of the City. Eventually
however the position would fall from grace following the sack of Constantinople in the
4th Crusade, being demoted to the 50th man in line behind the Emperor. Let us now turn
to the duties of the rank and file members. The Varangians were quartered across the city
of Constantinople. Their primary residences included the following: the old barracks of
the Excubitores, the special Varangian district around the Port of Mamas, and the area
around Galata tower across the Golden Horn. They even had their own church dedicated to
St. Olaf Haraldson - the half-brother of Harald Hardrada - and the virgin Mary, named ‘Our Lady
of the Varangians,’ not far from the Hagia Sophia. As for their daily activities, technically
speaking they did a bit of everything, functioning as a useful source of manpower for
the Emperor to use as he saw fit. That being said, we can generalize their activities based on
the scope of each type of Varangian Unit. For instance the members of the Sailing
Varangians were often seen putting their nautical heritage to good use, hunting pirates
through the Aegean and along the Anatolian coast. The Varangian Mercenaries meanwhile
could be seen posted up in the various important garrisons of the Empire or serving as
core shock troops for the army in the field. At times they might even be given command of regular
units for special missions as was the case of one “Ragnvald” who was active in Greece.
And finally the Varangians of the City acted as a hybrid bodyguard or police
force within Constantinople itself. Wherever the Emperor went, these hulking warriors
would be there to act as the Lictors of ancient Rome, clearing a path through crowds with whips
and attending all important ceremonies of state alongside their master. Guardsmen also
saw to the security of imperial property and the city’s great churches. This could
be a quite monotonous job for such warriors and it's no surprise that one of them, a man by
the name of Halfdan, ended up etching out a bit of graffiti on the second floor of the Hagia
Sophia which can still be seen to this day. Perhaps a more exciting assignment though
would be their patrols of the city. Here the Varangian Guards had a chance to flex
their might, busting up rioteers, enforcing laws, and arresting high profile targets who
might otherwise be able to turn aside less loyal troops. They also served as jailors
and torturers in the infamous Noumera Prison. Apparently they made quite the impression with
Byzantine poets depicting screaming Varangians as demons in their descriptions of hell. For
example, Michael Glykas wrote these lines of a poem based on his experiences:
quote “Hades I call the Noumera, but even worse than Hades are the shouting
Varangoi and terrors which keep you awake.” When they weren’t on the battlefield or
terrorizing the locals, the Varangians were known as ‘the emperor’s wineskins.’ They were
reputed to have a great love for Greek women and an even greater love for Greek wine. Their
drunkenness is well documented with two separate instances of drunk Varangians even attacking
Emperors: Nikephoros the third and Michael the fourth. They were regular spectators
at the infamous Byzantine chariot races and frequently participated in the brawls that
accompanied such events. Thus we see that within but a few decades of their arrival, the
Varangians had become just another part of the vivid social tapestry that
was life in Byzantine Constantinople. Now let us consider how they were also woven
into the military history of the Empire. We will start with a generalized
description of their use. On the battlefield they functioned primarily as
heavy infantry arrayed in a dense formation. A commander might choose to deploy them
aggressively as shock troops meant to break through enemy lines or fortified positions.
Alternatively they might be held back in defense, ready to plug any holes in the front line or to
defend the Emperor in the event of a retreat. In either case they excelled as elite troops.
Yet the Varangians were not limited to such basic tactics. More skilled commanders combined
them with other forces like horse archers to brutal effect. Working together the paired
units could mutually support one another and take on all kinds of foes who might otherwise
be able to defeat them individually. Even more tactics were possible. To get a sense of this,
let's explore their track record over the years. Unfortunately in this regard it is actually
quite difficult to piece together a detailed service history. We know that they played a core
role in the army, but our sources seem to take this fact for granted, rarely giving us explicit
confirmation of their deployment or their actions in battle. As such I’d like to give you a brief
overview of the sorts of campaigns they likely MAY have been a part of during their lifespan with
a few specifics thrown in when they are available. We can pick up the narrative with
the original 6,000 Varangians sent to assist Basil the Second in 989
AD. Their arrival proved fortuitous, significantly bolstering his forces which
now set out to take on the pretender Phokas in Asia. The rival’s head was cut off and his army
turned to flight with the Varangians reportedly hacking the enemy to pieces with glee. With the
rebellion soon stamped out, the Emperor would next turn his attention to external foes, embarking
on a whirlwind series of campaigns led in person, which likely meant that the Varangians
were right there at his side. In 995 and 999 the Byzantines counter punched
against the Fatamid incursions into Syria, fighting a series of raids, battles and sieges
to restore the safety of the eastern borders. Now Basil would turn west. He directed his
attention against the Bulgar Empire which had previously bested the Byzantines, dangerously
expanding their influence in the region. However, armed with the Varangians, things would
be different. For nearly 10 years repeated, bloody campaigns would be launched against
the Bulgars, slowly grinding down their fortresses and their armies. The struggle
climaxed in 1014 at the Battle of Kleidon. Here Byzantine forces hammered the front of a
heavily fortified valley pass, finally breaking through when troops were maneuvered over
rough terrain to threaten the enemy’s rear. In the aftermath it was said that Bulgarian
prisoners were divided into groups of 100, 99 of them being blinded with the
remaining 1 guiding them back home. This ultimately precipitated the end of the
war. The Byzantines now claimed dominion over these lands with Basil earning the
name “The Bulgar Slayer”. It had been a brutal affair in which the ferocity of the
Varangians must have been greatly appreciated. But the fighting did not end there. Basil
and his guard next campaigned in Crimea, Georgia, and Armenia. Varangians were even
sent as far as Italy to fight the Lombards where they proved victorious at
the Battle of Cannae in 1018. Such was the scale of Basil’s military campaigning
that by his death in 1025, the Byzantine Empire would reach its greatest territorial heights
in the middle ages. According to the ancient historian Psellos “He crushed rebellions, subdued
the feudal landowners, conquered the enemies of the Empire. The treasury was overflowing with
the accumulated plunder of Basil's campaigns. Everywhere the might of Roman arms was respected
and feared.” Though they get no official credit, its safe to say that the Varangians had
a large hand to play in this triumph. The successors of Basil however struggled
to match his achievements. More wars were launched across the various frontiers which kept
the Varangians busy but by and large the Byzantine military machine was slowing down. The Empire was
struggling both economically and politically which led to military cuts that only further accelerated
its decline in the face of new, emerging threats. Amid all this, the Varangians stood firmly at
their posts. They held true to their oaths of loyalty but at times did have to pick a
side when things got messy. For instance when the deeply unpopular Emperor Michael the
5th attempted to assassinate the Patriarch and purge members of the Macedonian Dynasty, he would
be removed from the throne by a revolt in 1042. Legend tells that the Varangian Guardsman, Harald
Hardrada, dragged Michael from his sanctuary, blinding and castrating the ex-emperor
before banishing him into exile. Thereafter a series of rather ineffectual rulers
led the Byzantine Empire, further overseeing its decline. This poor state of affairs was
made evident at the Battle of Manzikert in 1071. Here the Byzantines were drawn in and
surrounded by the Turks who ultimately broke them when the western forces attempted a controlled
retreat. In this fight the professional core of the army, and the Varangians in particular,
stood steadfast by the Emperor. However their enveloped position was untenable. One by one
they were picked off. All would be massacred. In the aftermath, civil war wreaked further
havok among the Byzantines who were sent into a precipitous decline. Yet complete disaster would
be averted by the valiant efforts of the Komnenian dynasty. The army and the Varangians would slowly
be rebuilt. Apparently it's around this time that the Guard increasingly became dominated by
Anglo-Saxons who had been displaced by the Norman conquests of England. One source even claims
that some 5,000 of them arrived at one time. Clearly so long as there was money to be had
in Miklagard, the Varangians would endure. These would now be put to use in the various
campaigns of Emperor Alexios Komnenos. For instance in 1081 they would find
themselves near the city of Dyrrachium facing off against a Norman invasion force
under Robert Guiscard. Here they would be placed in the vanguard alongside a force of
mercenary horse archers called the Vardariotai. The imperial battle plan was simple and effective:
the Varangians would open ranks and allow the horse archers to skirmish back and forth. When the
Normans had been sufficiently bloodied, then the Varangians, along with the rest of the army, would
charge and break the spine of the enemy host. Initially the plan seems to have worked. The
Norman line wavered in the initial skirmishes, their left even breaking when met with more
sustained contact. Seeing this the Varangians charged, thirsting for blood and battle. The
Normans crumbled before the onslaught. Men and horses panicked before these giant men with their
massive axes, who slaughtered everything in sight. Unfortunately, they had cut too deeply,
isolating themselves from the rest of the army. The Normans capitalized on this, quickly swarming in with spearmen to hold them in position
and crossbowmen to whittle them down. The Varangians realized they had to play
for time and made a stand within the church of Michael the Archangel atop a nearby hill.
Unfortunately for them, no help would be coming. The Byzantine flanks had both over
pursued, leaving the center completely exposed to a devastating counter charge by
the Norman knights and their elite forces. The Byzantine army was shattered, the Emperor
even being wounded but managing to escape. Now the Normans could turn their full
might upon the stranded Varangians. The guard made a heroic last stand with the
survivors pulling back within the Church itself. However no mercy would be shown. Fire was rained upon the house of God,
burying the Varangians in burning timbers. But that was not the end of the northmen. Like phoenixes they arose from the ashes once
more. Over the following centuries they would serve the Emperors faithfully through thick and
thin. Among the new threats they were forced to deal with the various crusades launched by
western European powers against the east. Initially these seemed to be a welcome source
of relief, helping to push back the Seljuks and bringing in new sources of manpower that
replenished the guard and other units. This gave the Byzantines enough breathing room
to push back other threats such as the invading Pechenegs. At the battle of Beroia in 1122, the
Varangians proved key in the final action that punched through the enemy wagon fort, collapsing
the enemy center entirely and leading to victory. However, fresh waves of Crusaders
complicated the geopolitics of the region. At first they formed a tenuous alliance
with Constantinople, sometimes teaming up for joint campaigns that may have seen the
Varangians deployed as far away as Egypt. Eventually though, weak Byzantine rulers
could no longer master the situation. Cooperation turned to competition among
allies and enemies were emboldened. The Fourth Crusade would actually end up seeing
christian forces besiege and sack Constantinople in 1204. It was reported that the Varangians
fought bravely atop the walls with axe and sword before finally being overwhelmed. The last mention
of the Varangian Guard appears in the Chronicle of the Morea which states that they served to provide
escort duty in 1259 for the Empire of Nicaea, one of the three major fragments of the
Byzantine Empire which had been created following the sack of Constantinople. Following
this our sources go silent on their ultimate fate. Perhaps they lingered a few more
decades, slowly fading away into memory alongside the Byzantine Empire they
had served faithfully for nearly 400 years. We hope you’ve enjoyed this deep dive into one of
the most famous units of history. The artists and editors poured their sweat and passion into this
episode and it truly shows. They’ve also produced some awesome Varangian Guard designs for the
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