The Varangian Guard
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The Varangian Guard 988 1453
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Author : Raffaele D’Amato
language : en
Publisher: Osprey Publishing
Release Date : 2010-06-22
The Varangian Guard 988 1453 written by Raffaele D’Amato and has been published by Osprey Publishing this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2010-06-22 with History categories.
The Varangian Guards were Viking mercenaries who operated far beyond their native shores as an elite force within the Byzantine Armies. Descendants from a legendary line of warriors, the Varangian Guard was formed after a group of Viking mercenaries made a major contribution to the Byzantine Emperor Basil II's victory over rebel forces in 988 AD. These 5,000 men were then retained as Basil's personal guard and would provide loyal service to many successive occupants of the imperial throne. Commonly referred to as 'foreigners' (Etaireia), they were nonetheless absorbed into a new Palatine regiment under command of an officer termed the Akolouthos, who was either a Norsemen or a Rus (Norsemen colonizers of Russia). The Varangians wore mixtures of their native clothing and armor together with a splendid formal Byzantine uniform. But most famously, they always wielded their own traditional battle-axes; this became a sign that the emperor was on the battlefield in person. This is an insightful look of one of the legendary guard units of the medieval world, complete with a dazzling array of artwork plates showing the Varangian Guard in an array of settings from court ceremonies to the battlefield.
The Varangian Guard
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Author : Charles River
language : en
Publisher:
Release Date : 2020-10-06
The Varangian Guard written by Charles River and has been published by this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2020-10-06 with categories.
*Includes pictures *Includes a bibliography for further reading The Byzantine Empire was the heir to two great cultures that cradled and nurtured European civilization: Greece and Rome. Constantinople, now called Istanbul, became a center of power, culture, trade, and technology poised on the edges of Europe and Asia, and its influence was felt not only throughout Europe but the Middle East, Africa, Central Asia, and the Far East. Coins dating from the reign of Emperor Justinian I (r.527-565) have been found in southern India, and Chinese records show that the "Fulin," as the Chinese named the Byzantines, were received at court as early as 643 CE. For a thousand years, the Byzantine Empire protected Europe from the Islamic Arab Empire, allowing it to pursue its own destiny. Finally, Byzantium was a polyglot society in which a multitude of ethnic groups lived under the emperor prizing peace above war, an inspiration surely for the modern age when divisive nationalism threatens to dominate society once more. Despite all this, the Byzantine Empire is often treated as a medieval oddity, an absolute state stunted by a myopic religion, a corrupt, labyrinthine bureaucracy, and an inability to adapt to change. In truth, none of these judgments bear any serious scrutiny - Byzantium was a strong, organized, highly effective and adaptable civilization for most of its long history. It owed its success in no small part to its military, which, in contrast to the feudal armies of Western Europe and the tribally based forces of the Middle East, operated with a high level of discipline, strategic prowess, efficiency, and organization. At the same time, the Byzantines relied heavily on mercenaries, and the Hetairoi or foreign soldiers formed an important and often vital component of the army. The ability to call upon warriors from many nations demonstrated the power and wealth of the emperor, so they were recruited as much for prestige as for military utility. The most famous of the foreign units was without question the Varangian Guard. The Varangians came from the land in Eastern Europe known in the Middle Ages as Rus, which is now part of modern Russia and Ukraine. They were descendants of Viking warriors from Sweden who came to rule the waterways and population of Russia. Varangian mercenaries were fighting for the Byzantines by the 10th century, and in 988 they formed a permanent elite guard for the emperor. They took an oath of allegiance to him and served directly under the Acolyte or Akolouthos, who was usually of Byzantine origin. They also assumed responsibilities for the security of Constantinople. They served in battles outside the capital, but usually only when necessity called for it. The Varangian Guard's primary duty was always to protect the emperor, and inevitably, the Varangians became a political force, taking part in the numerous palace coups. They displayed a fierce devotion not necessarily to the emperor but to the throne itself - for example, when Emperor Nicephorus II was murdered by John I Tzimiskes in 969, the Varangian Guard immediately pledged its allegiance to the usurper. The Varangian Guard consisted of heavily armored infantry bearing shields, heavy swords, and Norse battle axes, either single-bladed or double-bladed. They were amongst the fiercest and most feared military units in Christendom, which made the unit an attractive station for many soldiers of fortune came to Constantinople hoping to pursue lucrative military careers in the service of the Byzantine emperors. Those from the West were called at various times Frankoi, (Franks), Latinoi (Latins, i.e. Latin Rite Christians), or Normans. Frankish knights were often hired to combat the Turks in the 11th century.
Viking Sagas Varangian Guard Viking History
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Author : Adrian Ambrose
language : en
Publisher:
Release Date : 2016-03-12
Viking Sagas Varangian Guard Viking History written by Adrian Ambrose and has been published by this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2016-03-12 with categories.
Viking History, the Viking Age, and Viking Sagas are the most enthralling and captivating historical stories ever.They hail from a culture unlike any other this part of the world has seen. They are bred on warfare, pillaging, and plundering. Physically they are monstrous specimens of men. They wield heavy and deadly weapons and they are some of the most efficient and violent fighters the world has ever seen. They are ruthless warriors that strike fear into the enemy. They are Vikings for hire. They are the elite Special Forces in service to a foreign ruler. They conquer unruly territories across the great Byzantine Empire. This is the true story of the Varangian Guard and the legendary rise of Harald Hardrada. Hardrada will develop tactics that will transform warfare across the Mediterranean. Hardrada's string of improbable yet ingenious victories will show the Varangian Guard to be one of the most elite and talented warrior classes that history has ever known.
The Varangians Of Byzantium
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Author : Sigfús Blöndal
language : en
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Release Date : 2007-04-16
The Varangians Of Byzantium written by Sigfús Blöndal and has been published by Cambridge University Press this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2007-04-16 with History categories.
This book examines how the Norsemen came to be drawn into the Imperial service.
Varangian
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Author : Griff Hosker
language : en
Publisher:
Release Date : 2013
Varangian written by Griff Hosker and has been published by this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2013 with categories.
The story of the last two Housecarls from Harold Godwinson's army who, forced from England by the Normans, journey down the Russian rivers to join the Varangian Guard where they fight, once more the Normans from Italy. The two men have to fight not only barbarians and the Empire's enemies but treachery from within the complex world pf Byzantine politics. Culminating in the battle which finally drove the Normans back to Italy, the historically accurate book paints a picture of the dying world of the Saxon warriors.
Varangian
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Author : Stuart G. Yates
language : en
Publisher: Next Chapter
Release Date : 2022-01-28
Varangian written by Stuart G. Yates and has been published by Next Chapter this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2022-01-28 with Fiction categories.
In the new Rome, duplicity and death reign supreme. It's the mid-11th century, and the Byzantine Empire dominates the world. Within the walls of its great capital, Constantinople, treachery, debauchery and power politics are part of the lives of the ruling elite. Thrust into this mix is the Viking adventurer, Harald Hardrada. In the court of the deranged emperor, Michael the Fifth, danger lurks at every turn, and Harald soon becomes a pawn in the various factions' thirst for power. Can he survive this dangerous place, and turn his mind towards regaining what is rightfully his?
Varangian Guard
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Author : Jay W. Inman
language : en
Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
Release Date : 2016-09-09
Varangian Guard written by Jay W. Inman and has been published by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2016-09-09 with categories.
Trans-Human Augmentation through DARPA's Super-Soldier program begins the process of taking humanity to a scientifically driven caste system. Liberty fades but Men of the Varangian Guard Legion step into the fight. Yet, this is war beyond Land, Air, Sea, and Space. It extends into Cyber and Quantum - The Unknowable Spaces.
From Goths To Varangians
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Author : Line Bjerg
language : en
Publisher: Aarhus Universitetsforlag
Release Date : 2013-12-31
From Goths To Varangians written by Line Bjerg and has been published by Aarhus Universitetsforlag this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2013-12-31 with History categories.
With a multidisciplinary approach by archaeologists, historians and related sciences by leading scholars from England, Poland, Russia, Ukraine, USA and the Scandinavian and Baltic countries, this anthology examines the cross cultural ties between the Baltic and the Black Sea Area from Late Antiquity through the Viking Age to the Middle Ages. With articles ranging from the lively exchange between Southern Scandinavia and the Goths in the Pontic Area in Late Antiquity, to the famous Varangian Guard consisting of Scandinavians at the Royal Court in Byzantine in the Late Viking Age, the book provides an overview of important sources and new research into the significance of long range relations and cross cultural interaction between Scandinavia, the Slavic lands and the Black Sea Region.
The Varangians Of Byzantium
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Author : Sigfus Blöndal
language : en
Publisher:
Release Date : 1977
The Varangians Of Byzantium written by Sigfus Blöndal and has been published by this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 1977 with categories.
Byzantine Imperial Guardsmen 925 1025
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Author : Raffaele D’Amato
language : en
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Release Date : 2012-08-20
Byzantine Imperial Guardsmen 925 1025 written by Raffaele D’Amato and has been published by Bloomsbury Publishing this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2012-08-20 with History categories.
The hundred-year period ending in 1025, from the reign of the Emperor Constantine VII to that of Basil II 'the Bulgar-Slayer', encompassed the last great era of Byzantine aggression and dominance in the Near East and Balkans. During that time, a succession of soldier-emperors hallenged and defeated an array of opponents on land and at sea and reconquered vast swathes of territory. At the heart of the Emperors' forces were the professional, highly mobile Tagmata or Imperial Guard regiments, originally formed to guard the Emperor1s person in the capital but invariably deployed as elite combat troops. Joining these heavy cavalry units, were a variety of exotic mercenary units recruited from foreigners, notably the legendary Varangians. Featuring specially commissioned full-colour artwork, this lively study sheds new light on the colourful regiments of the Byzantine Imperial Guard, the formidable warriors who provided the Byzantine emperors with an insurance policy in the capital, and the elite of their field armies when on campaign.