Vikings

Varangian Guard

The Vikings were a medieval Scandinavian culture and fighting force that spread its roots throughout Europe. There was a group of Vikings called the Varangian Guard who were elite mercenaries that sold their services throughout Europe, to the Byzantines, Russia and others. The Varangian Guard also settled some farmland; they were not only fighters. Vikings shaped Europe, as mercenaries, elite fighters and farmers.

The Varangian Guard were medieval Scandinavian elite Viking mercenaries. They traveled throughout Europe selling Mercenary services to the Byzantines, Russia and other parts of Europe. The Vikings married into Portuguese royalty. The Varangian Guard was a leading elite Viking mercenary unit that even had a unit that was the Byzantines version of the “Praetorian Guard from ancient Rome.”

Vikings also traveled throughout Europe to settle land for farms and create estates. They didn’t only travel to sell their mercenary services. Some Vikings settled deep into Russia; others traveled to modern day Turkey. Vikings were extremely violent; they frequently were legally able to kill their children and killed others “for honor”.

Another thing, Viking helmets are typically depicted on Vikings; however, Viking helmets were rare and are even rarer in archeological evidence. Because Viking shields were made out of wood and were cheap and easy to produce… almost every Viking had one. Ancient Vikings also typically had a three-foot knife called a Sax. Viking’s that had an axe typically named their axes; similar to medieval knights naming their swords.

Bibliography

Mueller-Vollmer, Tristan. 2022. “Varangian Guard.” In Vikings. ABC-CLIO, LLC. https://doi.org/10.5040/9798216032328.112.

Jonathan Shepard. 2010. “Varangian Guard.” In The Oxford Encyclopedia of Medieval Warfare and Military Technology, 1st ed. Oxford University Press.