Varangian Guard

"Scandinavians were frightening both in appearance and in equipment, they attacked with reckless rage and neither cared about losing blood nor their wounds."

- Byzantine chroniclers

The Varangian Guards were personal bodyguards of Byzantien Emperors for a majority of the Dark Ages. Mostly hailing from Anglo-Saxon England and Scandinavia, these mercenaries served as both bodyguards and occasional shock troops used by the Byzantines. Originally formed in 988 by Emperor Basil II, these mercenaries were chosen to be his personal bodyguards because of their nearly unwavering loyalty to him. So many Swedish men went to serve under the emperors that the rulers forced a rule that the men could not inherit while serving.

It wasn't until after William the Conqueror's invasion of Anglo-Saxon England, the Varangians began recruiting from the men from those regions as well. The Varangians were very prominent in the defence of Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade, and were key in the Battle of Beroia for Byzantine victory. The last historical mention of these axe-wielding mercenaries was in 1400 in Constantinople.

The primary role of the Varangians were bodyguards, performing ceremonial duties and police work in affairs of treason and conspiracy. The Varangians weren't very prominent on the battlefield, though, until the most crucial part of the battle or when the fighting was the heaviest. That being said, these hulking mercenaries provided a menacing factor for Byzantines both in appearance and skill.

Battle vs. Praetorian Guard (by El Alamein)
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