c. 988 CEReputable sourceWell documented
The Varangian Guard in Constantinople
On the timeline · around c. 988 CE ·
What happened
The wealth and splendour of Byzantium drew Norsemen south to Constantinople, where from around 988 the emperors employed them as the Varangian Guard — an elite corps of axe-wielding Norse and Rus bodyguards.
Why it matters
The Varangian Guard shows the astonishing reach of the Viking world: the same people who raided England served as the personal guards of the Byzantine emperor.
Sources
- World History Encyclopedia. Varangian Guard · Reputable source