New Varangian Guard: Byzantine Drill and Imperial Inspection

[conor845]

what's so funny? People watching keep laughing...

[Dagsschiller]

Dude they look very awesome, specially the commander

[Russkyparen1]

Varangians almost all were Russian in Byzantine empire. Greeting from Russia my ortodox Brothers.

[ilgvars2]

not bad but stupid marching was not medieval thing

[Colts4ever123]

My best to the Varangians, they stood steadfast in Constantinople, May God Bless you !

[TheImperialEagle]

Saxons, Vikings, Normans, they're all North Germanic peoples. Well, then again, maybe some Slavs and half-Slavs traveling with the Rus, but mostly Germanic nonetheless

[LordoftheHornets]

@TheImperialEagle actually, the Seaxisc (were west germanian not northern) but i do agree with what you say regarding all else lol

[papagamias]

While most Varangians initially were Swedes, and later ones Saxons, one of the most famous had been actually a Norwegian one, a "fresh Vicking": Harald Hardrada.

The popularity of the Varangians were not only for battle skills but also because they were highly trusted. Local armies (Greeks and Armenians) were always the basis of the army, they were more complex, more technical but also much less faithful as they could be influenced by politicians or generals against the Emperor.

[Swartzeagle83]

One of the reasons the Varangians were so loyal is because they were mercenaries. Whoever held the coinpurse was who they were loyal to. There was actually an instance of an emperor being assassinated with them nearby and as soon as the assassin claimed the crown the Varangians pledged their service to them. Could just be a story, but it would be in keeping with their Norse values.

[LordoftheHornets]

@Swartzeagle83 those same events are well documented in roman/praetorian history too, augustus created the praetorian guard from foreigners due to them being more trustworthy than his own roman soldiers for the same reasons of being corruptable through politicking, they were renown for total obedience to the emporer and was mainly derived from germanic warriors, upon the death of any emporer under any circumstances they had the same hes dead we no longer need to be loyal to him attitude, "NEXT"!

[Swartzeagle83]

I wasn't aware of the Praetorian Guard being foreign, but as a practice it does seem to reoccur through history, even up to the French Foreign Legion.

[TehFridgeizEmptyz]

Varangians were buff people and always drunk (that's why they fought until they died of exhaustion or until the drunkedness run out, lol)

still, it was kinda funny

[walaxski]

bool-sht / varangian guards had bigger stomachs.

[davegobblin]

also it mainly consited of rus at first then more scandanavians then saxons and normans

[TheMetalPenguin]

Indeed; it is after all named after the Varangian Rus. By the end of the 11th century, though, there was an increasing number of Anglo-Saxons in the guard, particularly after the Norman Conquest of England. Perhaps ironic that its members changed, from being vikings, to those fleeing from viking descendants.

[petkol]

That is NOT to say that scandinavians and rus were eradicated from the unit at all. Just outnumbered, but still in the highest ranking peleky(settled varangians) axemen familys. At some battles in south east europe, they would be 6000 large. The big longboat fleet with anglo saxons in 1067-9 were only 5000. Less then that, actualy settled in the V. Unit.

[JimmyReptile1]

The Rus was scandinavian.

[EivindBjornson]

Je suis déçu! Ok les ordres militaires sont top avec les mouvements de troupes ainsi que les ordres.

Mais pour ce qui est des tenu mis a par certain comme le chef ou encore deux trois garde varègue.

[Gurrak]

Varangian guard was made out of primarly swedes not many norway, or danes in the guards just a few. you guys went west swedes went east.

[lakotadak]

I reading a bock whit vikings and i read about the varangian guards

[Ullbritt]

yeah they liked to kick ass and get drunk, just like me!

[Kan2209]

When they're guarding and ass kicking going on I'll let you know.

[lakotadak]

thx no i no that but who long did they exist

[lakotadak]

varangian guard looks like vikings

[Jarmolly]

The VG were mercenaries serving for the Biz Empire. They were often Rus and Norsemen. Harold Hardrada King  of Norway also served in the VG whilst exiled.

[Noahwig]

becouse they are a type of vikings

[Jarmolly]

There are a number of pics of Empresses wih hair showing. Maybe it didn't apply to them . . .

[deadsparky]

@Jarmolly Maybe the emperor preferred his empress a bit tarty. ;)

[Jarmolly]

The drill should have been done by Byzantine soldiers, not Norse barbarians. But where were we going to get any at short notice?

[EricMetalGuitarist]

@Jarmolly

Actually, that is incorrect. The historical record explicitly states that the Varangian guard was composed of foreign (i.e. non-Greek) soldiery, mostly Nordic peoples. Of course, the Varangian guard was only a small component of the overall Byzantine military, which comprised mostly native Greeks. However, Byzantine emperors felt safer around foreign guard details because, like the Germanic bodyguard of the earlier Western Roman Empire, they relied on the emperor for social status.

[Obasiliasfilosofos]

@EricMetalGuitarist

also, The Varangian had a traditional honor code that made them bound to their oaths and made them completely faithful to their Lords, Putting their master first and self second.

[gpalmamrw]

@Obasiliasfilosofos They weren't loyal to their master but to the position of emperor, if their emperor was slain, before they could stop the magnicide, and the slayer become the new emperor they will swore loyalty to the new emperor, that was how it works.

[Jarmolly]

The way in which the drill actions were actually carried out is a lot more problematic just compare the marching styles of the Russians, the Nazis and our own army, all to equivalent commands. We don't even know if the Byzantines marched in step, or how fast the pace was. It's all based on best guess, with input from people with experience in "square-bashing" from having been in the Australian army.

[saintmichaelsarmoury]

Nice gear...the inspection wasn't terribly accurate.

[ellin40]

They performed modern military drill like "right face", "Present arms" etc. ? Is this historically accurate?

[Jarmolly]

The commands came from Byzantine drill manuals except for (I think) one which had to be reconstructed from mediaeval Greek as a "likely" command to cover a gap where no command existed

[Camilo83]

These Varangians look like they've become accustomed to easy living! :)

[SlaineOz]

Bloody good! The NVG strikes again!