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As early asVarangians are mentioned as fighting as mercenaries for the Byzantines.Ībout Varangians served along with Dalmatians as marines in Byzantine naval expeditions against the Emirate of Crete in and a force of returned to Crete under Constantine Porphyrogenitus in A unit of Varangians was involved in the Italian expedition of It is also recorded that there were Varangian contingents among the forces that fought the Arabs in Syria in During this period, the Varangian mercenaries were included in the Great Companions Gr. The scholarly consensus is that the Rus' people originated in what is currently coastal eastern Sweden around the eighth century and that their name has the same origin as Roslagen in Sweden with the older name being Roden. Renewed hostilities between and ended with a new treaty under which any Rus' who chose could serve Byzantium as a right. Varangian GuardĪ clause in the treaty obliged Rus' to provide men for Byzantine service.
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The earliest members of the Varangian guard came from Kievan Rus'.Ī treaty between Rus' and the Byzantine empire under Basil I was agreed in after a period of hostilities. Inthere were still some people identifying themselves as "Varangians" in Constantinople. By the late 13th century, Varangians were mostly ethnically assimilated by the Byzantine Greeksthough the Guard remained in existence until at least midth century. 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 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 ". According to the late Swedish historian Alf Henrikson in his book Svensk Historia History of Swedenthe Norse Varangian guardsmen were recognized by long hair, a red ruby set in the left ear and ornamented dragons sewn on their chainmail shirts.Ĭomposed primarily of Norsemen and Rus for the first years, the Guard began to see increased numbers of Anglo-Saxons after the Norman conquest of England. Immigrants from Scandinavia predominantly immigrants from Sweden but also elements from Denmark and Norway kept a almost entirely Norse cast to the organization until the late 11th century. They were in Byzantine service from as early as Vladimir, who had recently usurped power in Kiev with an army of Varangian warriors, sent 6, men to Basil as part of a military assistance agreement. The Rus' provided the earliest members of the Varangian Guard. The Varangian Guard was known for being primarily composed of recruits from northern Europe, including Norsemen from Scandinavia and Anglo-Saxons from England. The members served as personal bodyguards to the Byzantine Emperors. The Varangian Guard started in the second Roman empire.