What were Viking bodyguards called?

the Varangian Guard
During the Viking Age there existed, within the army of the Byzantine empire, an elite company of mercenaries mostly from Scandinavia. This group was known as the Varangian Guard, a regiment of warriors renowned for their ruthless loyalty and military prowess.

Did Vikings work as mercenaries?

Vikings often made promising mercenaries, as long as a ruler had money to pay them, for Viking mercenaries did not discriminate in whom they attacked based on religion, ethnicity, or the motivation of their employer.

Did Vikings go to Constantinople?

The Vikings coveted Constantinople but could never breach its walls. Only by becoming the personal bodyguards of the Byzantine emperor did the Nordic warriors grab a piece of its wealth.

Are Varangians Vikings?

The Varangians (/vəˈrændʒiənz/; Old Norse: Væringjar ; Medieval Greek: Βάραγγοι , Várangoi; Old East Slavic: варяже, varyazhe or варязи, varyazi), was the name given by Greeks, to Vikings, mostly Swedes.

Who lived in Russia before the Vikings?

Soviet scholars traditionally maintained that a confederation of Slav tribes existed three centuries before the Vikings arrived. But many Western historians have maintained the first rulers of what is now Russia, the Ukraine and Belarus were Scandinavians.

Did Vikings go to Istanbul?

“Vikings lived in Istanbul between the eighth and the 11th centuries in different periods. As the rulers of Constantinople were afraid that Vikings could conquer the city, Vikings and Varangians were allowed to enter the city in the morning within small groups of a maximum of 35 people and leave the city before sunset.

Was Harald Hardrada a varangian guard?

Before becoming king, Harald had spent around fifteen years in exile as a mercenary and military commander in Kyivan Rus’ and of the Varangian Guard in the Byzantine Empire. …

Where did the varangians come from?

The Varangians were Scandinavians who traveled from Jutland and Sweden. They were first mentioned in the Russian Primary Chronicle in 859. In 862, Slavic and Finnish tribes rebelled against the Varangian Rus.

Is there any evidence that the Swedes ever fought in Europe?

Yes. The 30 England Runestones in Sweden are evidence. Swedes were said mainly to go East as Varangians, and there are around 30 Greece Runestones, but an equal amount in Sweden of Runestones mentioning raids and Danegeld in England. Some mention being paid soldiers in the Thingalid under Cnut and his successors…

Were the Norwegians as good as the Swedes?

The Norwegian Vikings were utterly crazed warriors. Almost all Vikings who used axes in combat were from the Norwegian part, as far as the archeological evidence allows. The Norwegians were the best boat builders and sailors. The Norwegians remained pagan for a while, not so long as the Swedes, but still respectably so.

Why were the Danes the strongest Norsemen?

The Danes were the strongest of the Norsemen both in political and military power. They were also the first of the three to convert to Christianity (almost entirely by the end of 9th century). The Danish Vikings wanted to discover and pillage the West. Their focus was put on France, England, and the Mediterranean parts of the world.

Did you know the founders of Russia were Swedish Vikings?

Did you know that Swedish Vikings actually were the founders of Russia, as described in manuscripts from the 12th century, found in Ukraine monasteries? The Vikings traveled up along the rivers that lead to the Baltic Sea, pulled their ships on land and continued along the great Russian rivers, down to the Caspian Sea and Black Sea.