The Varangian Guard: Northern Warriors in Roman Service

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The Varangian Guard was a regiment of northern Europeans in service of the Byzantine Empire, who fulfilled duties as soldiers and guardsmen.
Sources
The Varangians: In God's Holy Fire - Sverrir Jakobsson
The Varangian Guard 988-1453 - Raffaele D'Amato
Byzantine Armies 886-1118 - Ian Heath
Romano-Byzantine Armies: 4th-9th Centuries - David Nicolle PhD
The Historiography of Normanist and Anti-Normanist theories on the origin of Rus’- Roman Zakharii
Roman Auxiliary Cavalryman AD 14-193 - Nic Fields
Laxdæla saga - Unknown
Väringar, Nordbor hos kejsaren i Miklagård - Mats G. Larsson
Supplementary information - Population genomics of the viking world - Margaryan et. al
0:00 Introduction
4:06 Meaning of "Varangian"
5:59 Foundation and organization
10:58 Arms and equipment
15:53 Military assignments
19:45 Palace duty
21:13 Leisure time
23:40 Varangians back home
27:20 Conclusion
28:08 Timeline
#varangianguard #vikings #history #byzantium #byzantine

[@theicepickthatkilledtrotsk658]

For the Varagians you can definitely say that loyalty was their honor.

[@EresirThe1st]

Dangerously based

[@Brandonhayhew]

it’s simple

[@uncleobscurenobody8861]

Uhhhh I guess, if you ignore the greedy extortion, backing of coups, use of their position for economic gain... They were employees

[@dimieneyitemi1721]

@@uncleobscurenobody8861you’re mixing up the praetorian guard with the Varangian guard bro, They were known to be fiercely loyal to the throne itself

[@Mukation]

Loyalty schmoyalty as the saying goes

[@digenesakritas]

There are two Varangian Orthodox☦️ Saints, Saint Theodore (Thor) and his son John. Saint Theodore served in the Varangian guards where he was baptized in Constantinople and returnes back to Kyiv to serve first in the Druzhina of King Yaropolk and then Saint Vladimir the Great. The are they first two Christian martyrs of ancient Rus. Their martyrdom in Kyiv by the pagan Slavic priests is what convinced Prince Vladimir to explore Christianity as his potential faith as he was impressed with the bravery Sts Theodore and John exemplified as they died for the Orthodox ☦️faith. Also the Orthodox Church honors St.Olaf as an Orthodox saint☦️

[@SkyeSage17]

🤔

[@ReplyToMeIfUrRetarded]

Doxa tou Theo!

[@dewd9327]

@@SkyeSage17 ☦☦☦☦☦

[@TakitowSpice]

Fuck yeah

[@nikolapejanovic2077]

Varangian Guard is missinterpretation. Virangiana is a word for Amazon women. Its an indo word. So basically my own Dragovići were the GUARD of the Virangiane. Komani was the woman Chief of the Virangiane, and Draco of Scot were the GUARD, they are sibling tribes. In the wars 374-379AD in epirus the guard had become the armored cavalry because Komani got married into the Emperor bloodlines. From there west Rome was about to be fully owned. Scot the younger got revenge. Not a single Scotian Guard was ever baptized. This was our biggest problem of all time. The ortodox are believers in their scribes because their eternal history is carried forward in first language.

[@RoyalBaconist]

Great and thorough video on the subject. Would love to hear more about these potential Celtic and Vlach members of the Varangian guard if you provide any more information on them.

[@liamimbriolo6066]

The Varangians are, potentially, the most famous example of a millenia of European mercenaries/roving warbands in service of Eastern Rulers as their elite bodyguard, vanguards or bully boys, sometimes all of the above. Very awesome and little known aspect of European history. Very based. Keep up the good work and God Bless.

[@ozzzer1]

You deserve more than 791 likes. You've done a great job on all your video's that I've watched. Many of the graphic images from old sources from the time period your describing I've never seen before, that in itself is quite refreshing. Mr. Baltic, keep up the good work!!

[@TyZaTube]

I really enjoy your content!

[@SkyeSage17]

I do look forward to your video's. Very informative history we weren't taught. Thank you 🧐

[@CAP198462]

These men of the cross and the hammer. They are, the Varangian guards full glory and of might, Red as blood and black as night.

[@connorstudulski8617]

Really enjoyed the video, keep up the good work!!

[@WelcomeToDERPLAND]

The Varangians will always be the best mercs in all of history, no questions about it.

[@uncleobscurenobody8861]

What does this statement mean?

[@matthewexline6589]

Your username is very appropriate for this comment.

[@bengoloitachi2565]

Normans > Varangians.

[@WelcomeToDERPLAND]

@@bengoloitachi2565 Do the Normans really count as mercs when they were granted lands and made nobles that then went on wacky crazy adventures all on their own all over the place with tons of splinter factions though? Sure they were hired as mercs on plenty of different battlefields but they weren't exactly a unified merc force for hire all those times and were basically just more landed nobility (plus they were also former vikings just like the Varangians, lol)

[@bengoloitachi2565]

@@WelcomeToDERPLAND They came to Italy as mercenaries, they were unified when their lives were threatened. So I don’t know For me they count as mercs

[@danalasmane6191]

Thanks, very interesting and informative!

[@eurosomething]

I am fighting with the Guard in my Byzantine army pretty consistently in Age of Empires 4. It is way too fun, you can make them go berserk and they bust out the great ax, they build boats, look super Norse. It's very satisfying.

[@SanoyNimbus]

I read an article by a scholar in history years ago ... I don't remember the name. But the content of the article in Upsala Nya Tidning, the local paper in Uppsala, Sweden, said that his theory about the heathen temple in Uppsala (Todays Gamla Uppsala) probably was Eastern Ortodox church ... Since most of the rune stones in the area does only have christian and/or secular texts, no mention of norse gods. The reason why the history books, and written texts claims it to be a pagan temple is because. Burning a rival church is not a good thing. So when the viking who became christian after Ansgar came to Birka won a battle over vikings in Uppsala and burned their church ... their chroniclers wrote that they burned a heathen temple. It was an interesting text. But I haven't found any one else claiming it to be true ... :(

[@19ate4]

They supposedly had a pre battle war ritual They form 2 circles, 1 inside the other and move in opposite directions of each other.

[@hithere4719]

Like the “Get Together Dance” from West Side Story 👍🏻

[@kalnieminen65]

In Finnish Vartia means Guard. It has been suggested in Finnish circles that Vartiat (plural) were Finnish mercenaries who swore fielty to "Viking" raiders sailing to Byzantium. Also Finns traded with eastern Finns and were familiar with the river systems leading to the Eastern Empire Byzantium. Varjaagit is also a Finnish term, but I'm not sure if its of Finnish or Slavic origin etymologically.

[@michaelmichelsson]

Really great stories You know, I would be very happy if you would ever take it upon yourself to tell about Finnish mythology that is written in Icelandic sagas, there are some pretty wild stories and it has been thought that maybe some of them are real events in Finland's ancient history. there are a lot of them and it's a wonder they aren't talked about much in Finland, I don't know why. this subject has been studied very little in Finland, I only found one narrow university study at the University of Oulu, and even in that one it was not possible to say whether the stories have factual truth or not

[@klavskarols3481]

In Latvian, Varvari 5:14 means ''Barbarians'' or wild people, just as you pronounced it. There even is a ''varvarisms'' which means like atrocity or barbarism.

[@arturnicaciodeandrade9861]

@@rodpec9097 You are entirely wrong. Firstly, the greeks weren't pussies. While you germanics were living in mud huts, they built grand tmeples and palaces. Secondly, the word "barbarian" comes from greek "βάρβαρος/Bárbaros" which is a word that comes from an onomatopoeia, "bar bar", which just meant babbling, since the greeks couldn't understand what the barbarians were saying. Also, "barba" is a latin word.

[@arturnicaciodeandrade9861]

@@rodpec9097 you never stated in any visible comments you are a serbian. And as a native speaker of a romance language, and as someone with interest in linguistics, greek is its own branch of Indo-European, there is more of a close relationship between Irish and Italian, than latin and greek, the latter two only existed in close proximity to each other, thus, influences went between the two languages. Just because the Aenid says romans are trojans, doesn't mean they spoke greek at any point.

[@spirosvelliniatis2165]

​Barba is Latin, maybe barbarian in ancient greek derive from the berbers? maybe because they couldn't comprehend with them! Varangians most likely is a slavic term for western=Frank....V(f)arang(k)!!/or foreigner! because old slavic doesn't have f as a sound!

[@WelcomeToDERPLAND]

To me, the Falx is the perfect two handed sword, the only thing that comes close is the dane ax in its penetrating power, and the swiftness of the sword/balance of it is unmatched by anything, the only thing that really comes close in history is the mega zweihanders in terms of power/swiftness, its such a shame that nobody in history ever formed dane ax/falx cavalry in cataphracti armouuurrrrrr

[@cmc1517]

You should make a video about Vlad the impaler

[@TakitowSpice]

Another reason why i personally think that the Norsemen are the most successful people in the history of the world

[@philipfortygin7660]

Is it possible that atleast some of the varangian gaurds were of either full or partial slavic blood? Maybe their mother was slavic, and the father norse, and the son given a norse name?

[@user-ke8if6ri9r]

The word "RUS" has two meanings. One is "rowers" on the long boats. The second is "red beards". I am of Swedish heritage from both Mom and Dad. There are lots of stories of the men that served and were gone for years. They came back with gold,silk other treasures.If you ever tour central and northern Swedish churches you see some of the gold and other gifts for their thanks to the new God.

[@henkstersmacro-world]

👍👍👍

[@wiwysova]

1:01 CHANGE DA WORLD, MY FINAL MESSAGE, GOODBYE

[@sethleoric2598]

Despite all the examples of them having less than amiable relations with their employers, i still trust them more than the Praets.

[@scalvanus]

First! For the algorithm!

[@whyukraine]

Good ol TW

[@sovietz99]

ISNT THIS THAT ONE PIRATE DUDE???

[@RosierJulio]

Parte 2

[@benwinter2420]

Finnish word varra = danger , risk , peril , hazard , jeopardy

[@jbagger331]

Værn. Protect or Guardians.

[@wyattw9727]

Dane axe size is very overstated and Varangian axes definitely were not so long, two handed axes can often be more described as a 'bastard' axe in a sense relative to their length being similar to longer two handed swords - maxing out at five feet or thereabouts. Generally though avoid more Roman artwork in the Byzantine era as reference for appearances. Orthodox culture was more abstract and focused on religious allegory, thus armor often takes on a very antiquated look although weapons are usually semi-reliable. However some manuscripts like Skylitzes are just awful to draw anything from, get used as a source by everybody, but its actual utility is mediocre. Also on equipment, Varangians almost certainly did not wear the distinct 'Roman' armor styles but kept a specific barbarian appearance as their office was both political and military. Guardsmen likely would appear little different from the arms and armor of their native lands, thus cutting a profile not terribly different form the average well-off Norse warrior. Long hauberk, axe, shield, sword, nasal/conical helm, etc.

[@user-bp6oy7jv7u]

vár=fortress to wait úr= sir, royal in power/force=erő erőd=your force, fortress vári=noble of castle úri=royal, noble vári = wari of Peru = huari, huarians, arians, uros/vörös(red strong) folks of titkaka lake) warik= varég / varangian vikings of east europe, slave family members of the pharao of peru = paracas lomghead reds..avars=waris

[@tenholindberg9862]

The rus ie rotz, originate from finnish, it still exist, andstill refers to our western neigbourgs, not eastern. Rus vikings were elite swedens ruling class. Sweden in Finnish= ruotsi. Also venäjä (varangi) refers to modern russia

[@that1metalhead792]

Venaja is a Germanic loan word, it means Wend. Lechites living on the Oder and Elbe rivers.

[@user-bp6oy7jv7u]

one thing is missing, rome=moor dark skin eurasia, massacred by vikings

[@fleadoggreen9062]

It was hard to seperate the Greek men from the boys 😂

[@johndarcangelo6893]

"Roman" service

[@Michael_the_Drunkard]

Yes the Eastern Roman Empire and its citizens were truely Roman. Save your scare quotes!

[@johndarcangelo6893]

@@Michael_the_Drunkard don't get your panties in a bunch

[@piggyraccoon5464]

Yo, dude your channel name is misleading... you should change it. Im from Latvia and theres nothing related to "Baltic" here... sry to say that būt thats kinda lame strategy to attract viewers from the Baltics

[@balticempire7244]

ever heard about the baltic sea?

[@balazskiss985]

​@@balticempire7244 bal means white, bala/alba..belarus=white redheads varegs are the avarians, varangs and are from Peru, wari/huari region vár=wait/fortress =guards vár=fort, vér=blood, war vöri=redhead vári=from castle úri=noble, royal= rouch, rough, rouge, rus, (piros=red, pyrros, pirates connection) viking flag is red white, same is magyars flag in hungary after avars= they are the same, magyars king had a guard team the varégs from kiev russ vörik=wari ones, redheads = vareg (work....) wari run down newzeeland Moriori and created the Maori, w/M trick, Wari/Maori tall redheads = maior, major...magyars magas=tall in magyar...magic/magas w/M...Mirage=varázs in magyar, magic waragi is ugandan banana moonshine varázs/waragi drink=magic drink in magyar=moonshine, as weapon reds in the memory of languages rossz=bad in magyar rossz=rottent, roach (cockroach), rouge, rot, roth, rout, road, red, rats rauchen=to smoke rák= cancer redheads by innerbreadings made albinism by alcoholism with skin cancer on sun (bad ones, ugly=rút=red, rednecks) war like worry bloody reds, nomads, killers same is gypsie actually what is white like gipsum gypsie= cigány in magyar szőkén= blonde ones = xican, mexican, cigány, sygünna, seehome sehonnai=from nowhere, who has no home, sea gypsies, reds, routs redneck in magyar= eretnek, means against god, un nuaturals, innerbreeders=reds, rotten ones szégyen=shame szőkén= with blonde hair=cigány/gypsie=blonde albinos bolond=mad, crazy=rossz/bad, reds, blonds inner breading albinos have nervous system problems=bad eyes, blond=blind, and fool=bolond/blond women balayage means blonde/bleach out the end of hair, like blonded by the light/sun bala=pale, polish, white, lightfull, bey=bézs=butter face..inner bread albinos they are the UROS folks of titikaka lake in magyar language: erős=strong erős=rich, reich, rex, rise....rice óriás=giant (huari/wari) vörös= red véres=bloody, war like varies, avares, avars, waris/warik= varegs as family name Varga (shoemaker, schumacher) or vargas in peru, Varró= who sue (they made sue, sueing=varrás, varázs=mirage, magic (they use =we use picture write on textiles=text)) Vári= noble, from fort/castle Őri= guard, in hungary we have a region called Őrség (land of őr, borderguards(body-guards)) . hair=huary/wari úr=sir, herr szőr=fur, hair...beard avars had VARKOCS hairstyle=scythian curls of red/blonde hair in 3 curles avar kocs=avarian curl =varkocs=virakocsa/ wirraquocha gods, and redhead erik the kid, wirakocsa in peru (vöri kicsi=small red, vöri kutya=red dog/fox, ruga, róka, rookie) virakuti in central americas, red erik the kid of island... . fő=head, top fej=head, top (fel=up) fő úr= head lord, tophead, biggest conehead főúr= fő herr, führer, fáraó, pharao of peru fehér=fehér= white, pure fejér=fehér=white pale

[@beautyluster]

Your saints are chosen by men, not by the divine creater. He is not holy like the 12 disciple of jesus.

[@Aquilifer321]

Roman..Those weren't Romans, they were Greeks. They pretended to be Romans, but they failed

[@Michael_the_Drunkard]

Those Greeks were full Roman citizens since the time of Caracalla. The Eastern Roman Empire they ruled survived the fall of the western half in 476. Constantinople was founded as New Rome by Emperor Constantine, a Roman of partial Greek descent. Pls stop sharing your idiocies in the comments!

[@Aquilifer321]

@@Michael_the_Drunkard The eastern "Roman" empire had nothing Roman about it, only the name. The true heir of Rome was the Holy Roman Empire and the Papal States, Everything else was just a caricature. Everything was different in the Byzantine Empire, the language, the culture, the religion and the way of waging war. The Greeks were Roman citizens, as were the Britons and the Hispanics, so?

[@Michael_the_Drunkard]

​​@@Aquilifer321hahhhahh nice joke. "tHe EAstErn ROmAn EMpirE Had NoThiNg rOmaN aBoUt iT" -The capital is Constantinople, once capital of the entire Roman Empire (330-364), afterwards capital of the Roman East. -The citizens: They were Romanized Greeks whose ancestors served the Roman Empire in various ways. They had lived under Roman rule since the late Republic and became citizens under Caracalla. -The offices are entirely inherited from old Rome. They were just translated into Greek. -The Patriarchate of Constantinople developed from the episcopal See of Byzantium, founded by St. Andrew. -Greek was the 2nd language of the Roman Empire, primarily in the Roman East, but also among parts of the Roman elite -the HRE isn't a Roman state. It developed from the Frankish Kingdom that conquered Roman Gaul. It is a successor state but no continuation of Roman rule.

[@Michael_the_Drunkard]

​​@@Aquilifer321the Britons, while still under Roman rule, were true Romans. Their identity quickly faded after the Roman legions were evacuated from Britain. The Hispano-Romans were even more Roman, as they kept speaking an Ibero-Roman dialect of Latin, that would develop into Spanish. It's just after the Visigothic conquest, that their Roman identity also faded. But they are clearly Roman-descended, that is out of the question. The Eastern Roman Empire wasn't even conquered by a non-Roman state until 1204. So its citizens had every right to call themselves Roman.

[@Michael_the_Drunkard]

​@@Aquilifer321 Religion? Ahhhhahahahahah Christianity had been the state religion of Rome since 380 AD under Emperor Theodosius. You want to tell me that this emperor who ruled over both halfs at the end of his life wasn't Roman?