varangian libre

8/11/2019 Varangian Libre

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about ho as involved in various travels, negotiations, and struggles, aids to *ore

adeuatel( portra( the disaffe#ted, dislo#ated, and potentiall( opportunist *igrants

throughout the %uropean #ontinent+ .urther*ore vieing a *ore #o*plete perspe#tive

of the hole of %urope and the near %ast is ne#essar( in order to *ore #learl(

understand the #o*pleit( of .ran/ish, Arab, and '()antine relationships+

Constantinople *aintained hundreds of (ears of dutiful e*plo(*ent of hat has

been often referred to b( s#holars as a *er#enar( for#e+ The elite of hi#h as #harged

ith the pri*ar( dut( of defending the seat of the '()antine %*peror and defense of the

real* at the e*peror4s order+ This group of elite *er#enaries /non throughout the $est

as the Varangians, gained notoriet( and fa*e as an ae ielding barbarian for#e+

Co*prised of northern %uropean Vi/ing, 5ussian and !orse des#endants, Varangians

*aintained a length( histor( of fier#e battle and #onuest+ That the &ree/ ar*( fro*

'()antine #ontrolled lands didn4t have a histor( of sole parti#ipation in battles leading

up to and during the Crusades, nor did the( #o*prise su#h a for#e of elites, presents a

signifi#ant differen#e to the #o**onl( a##epted notion that the ar*( of '()antiu* as

*ade of the '()antine &ree/s purel( and that the for#es of the %*peror ere refle#tive

of the histori#al peoples of the i**ediate geographi#al areas, despite an( #all for

*er#enar( for#es folloing the 'attle of Man)i/ert+1

1 The 1061 Man)i/ert battle beteen Sel7u/s and '()antine for#es as the i*petus for the eventual Crusades and is ell

do#u*ented+ "t #an be referen#ed in al*ost ever( folloing bibliographi# entr( to this pie#e+ " refer the reader to the

'ibliograph( for *ore spe#ifi# #itations to follo+ The possible #itations ithin this paper *a( be ehaustivel( noted if" atte*pt to list the* all in the finite spa#e provided+

2



" present here, an ea*ination of the role of '()antine influen#e b( a( of the

%*peror4s on Varangian &uard+ "t re*ains *( interest to highlight that not onl( ere

the for#es of the '()antine %*peror #o*prised of !orthern %uropean Vi/ings and

%astern 5us, the( ere vastl( populated b( Saon, !oregian, Sedish and 8anish

refugees and *igrants, see/ing a #olon( in Constantinople and the surrounding areas+

M( #entral argu*ent #on#erns validating the alleged Anglo-Saon generational

settle*ent and e*plo(*ent ithin the Varangian &uard as ell as the proposition that

Varangians ere positioned to dire#tl( oppose .ran/ish and !or*an for#es due to 19

religious differen#es and the prospe#t for greater pluralit( in Constantinople, 29 the

out#o*e of the 'attle of :astings on Saons and their prospe#ts for poer, and 39 the

'()antine-!or*an previous territorial #onfli#t in the Mediterranean area+2 " intend to

#hallenge oversi*plified, seeping #on#lusion, and #urrent historiographi# position, that

the %uropean travel to the levant and engage*ent in arfare a#tivities during the ti*e of

the Crusades as not an opportunist land grab for non-inheriting sons of lords+ "

endeavor to sho eviden#e depi#ting Vi/ing, S#andinavian, and subseuent Saon-

8anish as *ulti-generational settler, and as a #onsistent hired ar*( rather than purel(

*er#enaries that histor( has belittled their i*portan#e to be portra(ed as+ .urther*ore it

is *( intent to highlight Varangians *otivations for e#ono*i# and so#ial gain b(

engage*ent in the *idst of the Musli*-Christian #onfli#ts fro* the perspe#tive of

2 See ri7nie !+ Ciggaar p+ 2;2

3



'()antine-5us-!orse gains+

"t is ne#essar( to first deter*ine the sour#e of the Varangian &uard and b( hi#h

*eans the( be#a*e a unit under the '()antine %*peror+ Though " a* not in#lined to

give a full( #o*plete histor( of the entiret( of travel of S#andinavian people fro* the

onset of the Vi/ing age, " find it useful to understand the *ove*ents of !orse*en

leading up to the era of the .irst Crusade+

Vi/ing raiders ere notorious for pillaging and looting settle*ents a#ross the

!orth Sea and northern %uropean #ontinental #oastline+ $ith that it as not un#o**on

for Vi/ings to ta/e route a*ong rivera(s and tributaries etending don the river and

into hat e no /no as 5ussia+ These earl( 5ussians or 5us as the( ere ter*ed in

the first #entur(, ere argued to have been #oloni)ed b( the *igrator( S#andinavians

and are posited b( s#holars to the effe#t that so#ietal stru#ture, pla#e na*es, *(th and

language of the 5us originate ith their S#andinavian settlers+3 There is eviden#e to

suggest that the earl( ninth and tenth #entur( *ove*ents of !oregian vi/ings as due

to inadeuate ho*eland environ*ental #onditions+ Later attestation of the seis*i#

a#tivit( as late as 13<2, here poison gasses fro* vol#ani# a#tivit( and erosion of

#oastal areas in#luding far*land, left the alread( harsh environ*ent uninhabitable in

*an( vi/ing held lands, depi#ts a harsh environ*ent that ould potentiall( *ove its

peoples southard+ :oever, historians 'ridget and =eter Sa(er state that despite the

3 Adolf Stender-=eterson, The Varangian Problem, Aarhus, 1>?3, p 1-20

@



DThe "#elander #lai*ed to have learned this stor( at the Althing fro* one :alldor

Snorrason, ho had hi*self a##o*panied the /ing during those (ears+ The /ing

as evidentl( *u#h a*used and even *oved b( this a##ount of this on

legendar( eploits, but he did not epress an( #lear opinion about its truth,

although the fa#t that he a##epted it un#onditionall( has been ta/en to i*pl( so*e

sort of verifi#ationE<

Through the tangled histor( of various overlords and /ingships that too/ pla#e

during and after the Vi/ing era, there ere ardent strides for #onversion of the !orse

people, *ainl( b( .ran/ish #lerg( see/ing to eradi#ate pagan beliefs and pra#ti#es+

There ere #hur#hes built throughout the S#andinavian lands and stri#t efforts *ade to

eli*inate rites of the Vi/ing !orse*en+ "n ;<?, folloing the pressures of ould-be

*issionaries fro* .ran/ish lands and subseuent Vi/ing re7e#tion of Christian

#onversion, the sa#/ing of the Christian 'ishop4s ho*e in :a*burg resulted in ing

&or* of 8en*ar/ destro(ing all ele*ents of Christianit( in a fier#el( pagan #entered

oppositional a#t+ The la#/ of #oherent su##ession hoever stunted the pro-pagan

senti*ents of ings li/e laf of 8en*ar/ be#ause li/e ith his on son, *an( politi#al

and pagan religious vies didn4t #arr( over fro* one generation to the net+ 'eteen

;31 and >3@ al*ost ever other generation of ruler as in favor of at least a tolerant

< nut :elle, Ca*bridge :istor( of S#andinavia, Vol 1, =rehistor( to 1?20, p+@>;

<



position regarding Christianit(+ '( ><0 #hristianit( in 8en*ar/ and %ngland rose to

point here ing :arald ", /non as :arald 4'luetooth4 a#tivel( pro*oted Christianit(

in 8en*ar/ and set the stage for an ar#hbishop to o##up( Lund under ing Sven ""

%stridsen beteen 10@6 and 106<+6

&(n Jones des#ribes the S#andinavian orld as a on#e vast #olonial poer no

relegated to its fra#tured an#estral ho*e based on *a7or fa#tors that inhibited a

#oheren#e and #ontinuation of !orse holdings ithin northern %urope+ Jones rites

D.or this there are four good reasons the #onstant struggle for territor( and

do*inan#e in and beteen the three ho*eland /ingdo*s their general inabilit(

to propagate elsehere their politi#al, so#ial and religious s(ste*s the fa#t that

the( *ust en#ounter nations and peoples, the .ran/s and %nglish, the %*pire,

'()antiu*, the Caliphates and in the long run the Slavs, ri#her or stronger and

altogether *ore absorbent and self reneing than the*selves and, *ost

i*portant of all, their la#/ of *anpoer+E;

The death of the 8anish ing turned %nglish ing na*ed nut in 103? proved

another blo for Vi/ing superiorit( ithin S#andinavia in that Saons regained the

6 '(ron J+ !ordstro*, 8i#tionar( of S#andinavian :istor(, p+ 111; &(n Jones, A :istor( of the Vi/ings, p+3>3

6



The pressures of .ran/ish and Latin Christianit(, #oupled ith loss or

redistributions of lands, *a( have pro*pted !orse*en to see/ alternative regions to

inhabit+ $e #an see #lear eviden#e of *igration of !orse-Vi/ings %astard into 5ussian

lands bordering '()antiu*+ :arald :ard-5uler, ho as the half brother of the Sainted

ing laf of &er*an(, had in 1030 alread( been to 5us lands as ell as '()antiu*+

laf4s failed effort to regain #ontrol of !ora(, envisioned as laf4s #ause to #onvert

S#andinavia, pro*pted deep #on#ern b( the Christian Chur#h that had been

inadvertentl( ansered b( the eiled vo(ages of :arald, laf4s half brother+ The

Sainting of laf and :arald4s return not onl( set the stage for !ora( to lead in

S#andinavian Christianit( but to *ar/ a point here pagans ere to #onvert or flee

toard the :arald li/e vo(ages+12 These vo(ages, though b( a Christian noble,

re#ounted in sagas and #learl( a nod toard potential su##ess ithin Vi/ing travels to

the east, depi#t an opportunist *otive for !orse to visit '()antiu* and return to *ore

advantageous ruling prospe#ts and ith *ore ri#hes for poer eertion ithin their

ho*elands+ :elle rites

D"n this #apa#it( he obviousl( enri#hed hi*self his gold and silver as an

i*portant asset hen he entered S#andinavian politi#s+ Arriving in Seden and

8en*ar/ in 10@? :arald see*s at first to have #onte*plated an allian#e ith the

8anish pretender Sven %stridsen against Magnus lafsson ho as at that ti*e

12 Jones, p+3;3

>



/ing of both !ora( and 8en*ar/, but he #hanged his *ind and or/ed out

an agree*ent ith Magnus in 10@<+ The( agreed to share the !oregian ro(al

poer, both of the* ith the title of /ing+E13

Sigfus 'londel, in his e#ellentl( ritten or/ The Varangians of Byzantium,

states that this e*igration as due to a desire to en#roa#h upon the '()antine e*pire as

it as e#ono*i#all( *ore desirable for the !orse to have asso#iations and hopeful trade

dealings as the( did ith the 5us in !ovgorod and iev+ =rior to ;@0 !orse engaged

*an( 5ussian settle*ents and established prin#el( lands and !orse-5us landholdings+

%ventual spread of !orse through the 5us territor( #a*e to #onfli#t beteen the 5us and

the '()antine border settle*ents, in#luding Cherson near the 'la#/ Sea+ The !orse b(

>00 had i**ersed the*selves deepl( ithin the 5ussian lands to the point that the(

ere indistinguishable fro* the 5us the*selves+ 'londel further notes that 5us had sent

e*issaries to dis#uss treaties and ere seen in #ourt of .ran/ish ing and #o e*peror

Louis the =ious as an e*issar( of the '()antine %*peror Theophilos in the *id ;00s+

non as people of D5hosE these *en ere #learl( not &ree/ b( assertion of their

/non visit of friendship to '()antiu* and therefore fir*l( establish #ivil, and *ilitar(

#onta#t beteen !orse*en and '()antine rulers b( the (ear ;3>+1@

13 :elle, p+1>61@ Sigfus 'londel, The Varangians of '()antiu*, p+31-32

10



"t *a( be i*portant to raise the #ontrovert over hether the 5us ere established

b( 5usBSlav origins or b( the eventual i**ersion of the !orse Vi/ings as raiders,

traders and eventual rulers over 5us lands+ The debate stru#tures itself over hether the

5us ere independentl( organi)ed, settled b( Vi/ings traveling eastard fro*

S#andinavia and then to '()antiu* as :arald :ard-5uler did, or if it as upon the

Vi/ing-Varangian return fro* '()antiu* that the 5us ere eventuall( prosperous and

assu*edl( independent+ .ound in a #olle#tion of le#tures published in 1>?3 #on#erning

the origins of Varangians in '()antiu*

DThe dire#tion in hi#h the legends ere hitherto believed to have andered has

a#tuall( been reversed, sin#e it *ust be assu*ed that the( andered fro*

'()antiu* in the idest sense of the ord9 vis 5ussia to the !orth+ "t is obvious

that this ne point of vie should also be tried in other #ultural fields besides

the field of legends .or instan#e in the fields of legal literature, the spread of

religion, and fol/-songs and ballads+E1?

Material #ulture found in S#andinavia point toard a #lear desire for the

!orse*en to see/ ealth in lands to the south and ere apparentl( indis#ri*inate of

ho the( traded ith, or in so*e #ases raided+ "n the for* of #oinage, #loth, 7eelr( and

1? Adolf Stender-=eterson, Varangica, Aarhus, 1>?3, p+11

Listed as a le#ture under the title DThe Varangian =roble*E Stender-=eterson #o*piles an in depth argu*ent that the

ealth of northern %urope as *ore fir*l( established folloing !orse #onta#t and e*plo(*ent ithin the '()antine%*pire+

11



tools, e see further eviden#e that !orse*en had established #onta#t ith "sla*i#

#ulture ithin :orde #a#hes found throughout S#andinavia+ Though in the *a7orit( in

parts of Seden, bottles, sil/, #oins, rings ith arabi# ins#riptions, #ensers, balan#es and

eights all originate ithin "sla*i#ate borders etending to 'agdad dated to the late

tenth #entur(+ Mi//elsen notes ins#riptions read on a #olle#tion of over ;?,000 "sla*i#

#oins re#overed, ith generi# Gurani# tets in#luding DThere is no &od but &od, ho

has no asso#iateE+ :e notes a #hange in tet during the Abbasid d(nasties DTo &od

belongs the order before and afterand in that da( the believers shall re7oi#es in the help

of &odE, and again in the H*a((id Caliphate #oinage D&od is alone, &od is eternal, :e

begets not and is not begotten, nor is there an(one li/e hi*+E Mi//elsen goes on to

further highlight the atte*pted graffiti of Thor4s ha**er over the #oins to establish reuse

of the #oin ithout re-s*elting+ This is further eviden#e of #ordial and open pagan

pra#ti#e in asso#iation ith the 5us, '()antiu* and "sla*+

1<

The aspe#t of the proliferation of ealth to the !orth that is found a*ong various

hordes is #oupled b( this #on#ept of the spread of religion to and fro* '()antine lands+

That the gold and silver hordes ere found a*ong burial grounds is testi*onial to

#ontinuation of the pagan beliefs indi#ating the need for ri#hes in the afterlife+16 That the

1< %gil Mi//elsen, Islam and Scandinavia during the Viking age, ithin Byzantium and Islam ithin Scandinavia, Acts of

a Sym!osium at "!!sala "niversity#, June 1?-1<, 1>><, pp+ 3>-?0

16 .ar too etensive to note the histor( of pagan beliefs here " ill defer to tet #on#erning pagan treat*ent of *aterial

#ultures of S#andinavia, parti#ularl( =ir//o-Liisa Lehtosalo-:ilander, $rom Viking to %rusader, pp+ <3-<6,60-61 inhi#h burial rites and pra#ti#es of pagan beliefs are dis#ussed+

12



in#iden#e of burial of ri#hes de#reased rapidl( in the eleventh #entur( doesn4t ne#essaril(

a##ount for an in#rease of Christianit( b( the !orse people alone+ Though #rosses ere

found ithin grave sites throughout .inland and Seden ithin the telfth #entur(,

pagan pra#ti#e as sub7e#t to the ruling #hur#h4s i*position that not onl( ere graves to

be free fro* goods but that the people ithin hat the #hur#h sa as their do*ain pa(

tithes to the 5o*an Chur#h+ The #hur#h thought that St %ri/ #onverted all of .inland

and boasted the reliuar( of St %ri/4s loer 7a, though *an( .innish graves #ontinued

to in#lude the ealth of the interred as a #lear pagan ho*age to the de#eased and an

in#reased desire to resist the Christian Chur#h in southern .inland through the telfth

#entur(+1;

This ardent resistan#e to #onversion is parti#ularl( i*portant to thin/ about hen

deter*ining the eventual struggles beteen the Latin rite of Christianit( #entered in

5o*e that had been *a/ing strides to #onvert *u#h of S#andinavia, and that of the

&ree/ rthodo( found in and around the entire eastern Mediterranean fro* %g(pt to

Constantinople+ Migrants to Constantinople *a( have readil( brought their on beliefs

and desires for ealth ith the* as an i*petus to travel and *aintain e#ono*i#

autono*( fro* a #hur#h oversight+ :oever, Adolf Stender-=eterson suggests that it

as upon the eventual return that the *ost proliferation of beliefs ere solidified

1; =ir//o-Liisa Lehtosalo-:ilander, p+ 60

13



D"t follos naturall( for* this viepoint that it is no longer the Varangians

strea*ing eastard fro* the !orth that de*ands the greatest attention fro*

s#holarship, but the Varangians returning ho*e fro* '()antiu*, and the part the(

pla(ed in the eport of #ulture fro* '()antiu*+E1>

Stender-=eterson *a/es the further #lai* that language suggests *u#h of the

origins of 5us-Vi/ing pla#e na*es ithin ievian 5us territorial areas+ :ere e see

that an ehaustive philolog( of 5ussian and S#andinavian Varangian9 language is

present in order to atte*pt to argue about et(*ologi#al origins of pla#e na*es and

#usto*ar( ter*inolog( for 5ussian #ultures+ "n the Stender-=eterson le#ture-essa(s it

goes as far as to suggest that the Soviet nationalis* atte*pted to erase the !orse

influen#es in pla#e na*es and histori#al #onta#t as an anti-Varangian theor( be#a*e the

popular historiographi# *ethod of a##epted s#holarship+

20

The aspe#t of pluralit( a*ong beliefs alone is suffi#ient to suggest that unli/e the

#ulture of intoleran#e fostered a*ong the #rusading soldier( of the Latin est, the

'()antines fostered a #ulture of toleran#e a*ong the fringe pra#ti#es of the *ultiple

inhabitants and those in the e*plo( of the real*+ %ven if the toleran#e as a #landestine

one or out of sheer ignoran#e it as suffi#ient to have ievian and !ovgorod 5us,

1> Stender-=eterson, The Varangian Problem, p+ 11 See also nud 5ahbe/ S#h*idt, The Varangian Problem, p+ 1<-1620 Stender-=eterson pp+ 1-20

1@



/non b( *ultiple histori#al eviden#e to have been openl( pagan, in the Varangian

guard prior to 1000+ $ith the !orse Vi/ings assi*ilating and assisting the 5us to

be#o*e positioned to #reate a sovereign state b( the ti*e :arald :ard-5uler4s *en #a*e

into 5us lands, the 5us ere groing in si)e and nu*ber and had positioned the*selves

to be able to negotiate openl( ith Constantinople+ As the eleventh #entur( dre near

the si)e of the Vi/ing 5us lands rivaled that of the .ran/s+ "an :eath a##ounts for

Vi/ing 5us in '()antine servi#e and the earl( for*ation of the Varangian guard fro* a

nu*eri#al perspe#tive+ Stating for#e nu*bers :eath notes

D Man( su#h Vi/ings, after a spell in 5ussia, ent on to Constantinople and 7oined

the '()antine ar*(, in hi#h 600 of the* are re#orded as earl( as >11+ Thereafter,

referen#es to Vi/ings in '()antine e*plo( are freuent seven ships #reed b(

@1? Vi/ings fro* 5ussia a##o*panied a '()antine epedition to "tal( in >3? si

ships and <2> *en sailed on a si*ilar epedition to Crete in >@> 5us or Vi/ing

troops are re#orded fighting the Arabs in >??, and ta/ing part in a #a*paign in

Si#il( in ><;+E21

:eath further notes that in C+%+ >;;, <000 *ore Vi/ing 5us ent to aid %*peror

'asil "" and ere subseuentl( the for*ation of the Varangian &uard of

21 "an :eath, The Vikings, spre( =ublishing, p22

1?



Constantinople+22 5affaele 84A*ato #on#urs ith this and epands upon it, in that the

5us prin#e Vladi*ir edded the '()antine prin#ess Anna, thus solidif(ing a 5us-

'()antine relationship and opening trade and soldier routes for the '()antine %*peror

'asil "" to eploit+ "t as ithin these e#hanges of for#es fro* Vladi*ir to 'asil "" that

the notoriet( of the !orse*en, b( a( of the 5us ere fir*l( established a*ong

*ultiple fronts etending into the Levant+ 84A*ato notes Varangian vi#tories over S(ria,

Antio#h and as far as Tripoli in >>@, %dessa in >>>, and the Fah(a "bn Said re#ounting of

the burning of the .ortifi#ations in St+ Constantine *onaster( that #o*pelled a #o*plete

surrender+ 84A*attos short but infor*ative or/ further notes several vi#tories

attributed to the fa*e of the Varangians in that ever( battle aged b( 'asil "" had a #ore

of Varangians to ensure vi#tor(+ .olloing 'asil "", 84A*ato tells that %*peror Mi#hael

furthered the use of the Varangians in Si#il( and again in battle on against 'ulgarian

rebels in 10@1+

23

These Varangians ere ruthless, fren)ied fighters, a##usto*ed to vi#tories a#ross

%urope during the duration, and at the end of the Vi/ing age, and had su##essfull(

#onuered and *igrated south see/ing advantageous plunder in the lands of the ealth(

'()antines+ An a##ount for the te*pera*ent and diplo*a#( of Varangians *a( be seen

in Matthe of %ddessa4s %hroni&ue, depi#ting a Varangian folloing vi#tor( in ta/ing

22 :eath p 2223 5affaele 84A*ato, The Varangian 'uard ())*+-., spre( =ublishing, 2010 p+6

1<



%dessa, rela(ed b( 84A*ato

D+++a arrior serving under Mania/es as sent as an envo( to the %*ir of :arran,

but the *an lost his te*per and stru#/ the %*ir ith an ae the Jerusale*

*anus#ript of the #hroni#le states that this *an as a 5ussian+E2@

Constantinople had ordered *oving for#es fro* Crete to buffer the Musli* #ities

to the %ast+ Varangians ere no heavil( engaged in *ilitar( #a*paigns against Musli*

for#es to the %ast and sa#/ed *ost of Aleppo in ><2+ '()antine for#es had ta/en #ontrol

of Antio#h in ><>, established a provin#e in S(ria and *aintained a position to for#e the

Musli* :a*danids of Aleppo to pa( tribute to the %*pire+ '()antiu* as positioning

itself to desperatel( hold onto lands in the fa#e of rising 5u* en#roa#h*ent+ The

'()antines *a( have ta/en Antio#h but the .ata*ids too/ %g(pt in the sa*e (ear

spar/ing repeated and fo#used *issions for '()antine #onfli#t in %g(pt+2? "t *a( be

i*portant to note that the dealings beteen Arab and '()antine states, fro* the

'()antine perspe#tive, didn4t #enter pri*aril( around a theologi#al the*e at this ti*e, as

*u#h as a territorial and e#ono*i# one+ 5us had interest in furthering their profits b(

engage*ent in the ar*ies of '()antiu* and the '()antines the*selves desired ta in

for* of tribute fro* nel( held lands+

2@ 84A*ato p+;

2? Mi#hael 'onner, Arab-'()antine 5elations in %arl( "sla*i# Ti*es, p+ >0'londel p+3;,

16



$ithin the '()antine e*pire in the *id to late 1000s, in addition to Christianit(,

=latoni# thought as prolifi# through the establish*ent of earl( s#hools and as

s(*patheti# to a resurgen#e of :ellenis*+ Co*patible ith *u#h of the !orse =aganis*

that at that ti*e as be#o*ing eradi#ated in the S#andinavian ho*eland, as ell as the

desire for in#reases in art and philosoph(, '()antiu* en7o(ed a brief interlude and

epansion of liberal arts that eventuall( led to greater ani*osit( fro* the Sunni

Musli*s+ 8espite the ShiIite toleran#es b( their allegori#al superi*posed depi#tions of

Christians and &ree/ thin/ers as Musli*s, the #on#ept as a dire#t threat to

foundational Musli* per#eived superiorit(, regardless of the advan#es of &ree/

philosophers held b( the antiuit( of :ellenisti# thought and hose ritings ere in

possession of Musli* s#holars+2< This is not to sa( that the Arab orld as devoid of

o##ult s#ien#es or aspe#ts that ould have been dee*ed blasphe*ous b( the Latin

Christians or debased as anti-"sla*i#+ "n truth, various s#holars on the sub7e#t agree that

a probable sour#e for *u#h of the o##ult and esoteri# s#ien#es, arrived in %uropean

hands b( a( of the Arab orld+ Migration of soldier( fro* '()antiu* ba#/ to 5us and

!orse lands #arried both ideologi#al and *aterial #ulture fro* Musli* in #onta#t ith

the Varangians+ So too did Musli*s also travel to S#andinavia in order to #onvert the

earl( Vi/ings and 5us inhabitants+26

2< 'onner p+ 30?26 Mi//elsen, p+ @<

1;



M(sti# and rabbini# Judais* alone ould have been suffi#ient to #all into

uestion as a *agi#al art but as Jes held onl( a peripher( influen#e in %urope during

the ti*e surrounding the Crusades, the( alone ouldn4t have been suggested as the sole

sour#e for hat be#a*e a prolifi# art ithin Constantinople and The '()antine e*pire

as a hole+ Arabs and "sla*i# s#holars ere in possession of astrolabes and *athe*ati#s

that ere thought of as sor#er( up to the latter %nlighten*ent of %ngland2; Musli*

astrolabes, for ea*ple, found there a( to %urope through Spain, *an( of hi#h not

until after the 1@00s+ A toleran#e toard su#h *(sti# "sla* asn4t held b( all but

alloan#es a*ong the edu#ated elite produ#es so*e of the *ost a##urate rendering of

astrono*i# #al#ulations /non+2> Cal#ulation to one degree have been deter*ined ithin

use of Astrolabes+ " defer to Stephen Johnston of the Hniversit( of ford4s Museu* of

the :istor( of S#ien#e here the orlds largest #olle#tion of Astrolabes is #urrentl(

housed+ Johnston ho* " have had the pleasure of #orresponden#e ith, asserts that

both Arabi# and :ebre Astrolabes are in#redibl( a##urate and ere in use ithin *ost

"sla*i#ate territorial regions+ Astrologers and diviners ere #o**onpla#e a*ong the

an#ient &ree/ and 5o*ans and survived a *inor resurgen#e ithin Constantinople that

too/ for* as a *aterial #ulture statuar( in addition to tetual ge*atria of an#ient &ree#e

2; "saa# !eton as a proponent of astrologi#al #al#ulation and has been reported to have #on#ealed his /noledge for

fear of perse#ution as late as 1<60+ See &ale %+ Christensen, Isaac Neton and the Scinetfic /evolution,ford

Hniversit( press, 1>><

2> Author4s #o**uni#ation ith ford4s Stephen Johnston, and 8art*outh College4s 5i#h re*er in 2013 #on#erningAstrolabes+ See Also httpBB+/uriositas+#o*B2011B0@Bastrolabe-*agnifi#ent-#o*puter-of+ht*l

1>



and fortune telling a*ong the lait(+30

As a potential threat to the /non Christian do#trines of the Latin est and the

rthodo( in pla#e at Constantinople, to #onsider that astrologi#al and divinitor( arts

ere tolerated or even utili)ed b( the ruling #lass, #hallenges *u#h of the purit( of

do#trine that ars the*selves ere fought to 7ustif(+ Varangians having traveled fro*

/non =agan real*s, through &er*ani# tribal regions, don rivera(s of the ievan

5us and into the 'la#/ Sea, suggests that *an( #o*ple theologi#al and arguabl(

*(sti#al traits *a( have been pi#/ed up in su#h travels+31

:arald of !ora( *a( have espoused a late faith in Christianit( but his ualit( of

Christianit( *a( never be full( /non+32 :arald4s 7ourne( to the 5us and ithin

'()antiu* suggests a *assive *ulti ethin# and *ulti#ultural e#ursion hereb( his on

understanding of theolog( *a( have been influen#ed+ $e /no ver( little #on#erning

his personal perspe#tives of religious do#trine, other than his a##eptan#e of a Christian

god and (outh ithin pagan lands, but e #an sa( that there is a histor( of in#onsistent

beliefs a*ong fathers and sons ithin S#andinavian people+ The Christian and =agan

os#illation ever( generation suggests that a pagan sensibilit( as oven deepl( ithin

the so#ietal re#/oning of *edieval !orse and e *a( further spe#ulate that su#h =agan

thought ould have been #arried forth in travels and dealings ith others+ Additionall(

30 !orse =aganis* has built in pro#edures for divining and fore#asting astrolog(+ There are too *an( *ethods to list here

hile sta(ing relevant to the sub7e#t but " ill dire#t the attention of the reader toard 'onner pp30@-30? as ell as

31 See =late 1 sour#ed fro* httpBB+s/(s#raper#it(+#o*Bshothread+phpKt11<;?;632 See Jones, :elle and !ordstro*

20



to Constantinople and sta(ed there learning for to (ears and then to Aleandria and

Luor, %g(pt for four *ore (ears+ "n these ver( pla#es Von $or*s reported to have

e*plo(ed the or/ of traditional *asters in the arts of *agi#, astrolog(, Cabala, and

de*onolog(+3; The ver( sa*e de*onolog( hi#h as erroneousl( reported to have

been #onde*ned b( Manuel " o**ena4s biographer Choniates+ Magdalino *entions

the appearan#e of the boo/ of Solo*on in '()antine posession ithin the 12th #entur(

and #ites or/s to attest to its antiuit(+ The book of Abramelin, a Solo*oni# *agi#al

tet dating fro* the 1300s is /non to have been in $or*s &er*an( and is #urrentl(

housed in *anus#ript for* in several versions, the eldest of hi#h are to #opies+ ne

of the* as en#oded and the other a &er*an plain tet+ 'oth date fro* 1<0; though

&eorge 8ehn and Steven &uth suggest a *u#h earlier sour#ing due to histori#al

do#u*ents pertaining to the life of the Je Abraha* hi*self that the boo/ #orroborates+

The earliest /non *anus#ripts are housed in the Librar( of 8u/e August, in

$olfenbuttel, &er*an(, #lose to :annover+ Though a #onte*porar( to the Abra*elin

tet, the 7ey of Solomon, a boo/ of *agi# that #lai*s to have been ritten b( ing

Solo*on hi*self, has no verifiable #ross-referen#ing in order to deter*ine it4s origin+

=rofoundl( Jeish in sub7e#t *atter and pla#e, a##ording to Joseph =eterson4s or/ on

7ey of Solomon,, previousl( in the possession of both .rederi#/ :o#/le( as ell as the

earl( *odern ph(si#ian %bene)er Sibl(, suggests a late 1@th #entur( origin, *a/ing it of

3; Abraha* Von $or*s des#ribes a #onta#t ith a hol( guardian angel hereb( the *(sti#al se#rets are revealed and

*agi# #an be perfor*ed+ The Hniversit( of ford4s 'odleian Librar( #ontains one of the earl( surviving *anus#ripts

depi#ting $or*s4 adventures and *aterial, dating fro* 1<0;+ Though not an original b( $or*4s on hand the &er*anedition *entions $or*4s for*al edu#ational #onne#tion ith Luor, Aleandria and Constantinople as a freed Je+

2@



the sa*e era of Abraha*4s tet+ =eterson4s translation hoever appears to have been

#orrupted b( a #r(pto Jeish re-translation due to the out of pla#e Christian pra(ers

a*idst de*oni# #alls and Jeish abbalisti# astrologi# rendering+ Though eistent for

li/el( longer, the o##ult arts, in#luding de*onolog(, *agi#, astrolog(, and talis*ani#

arts ithin Constantinople and '()antiu* as a hole, have an openl( do#u*ented range

fro* C+%+300 to C+% 13;6 3>+

$hether #ontributions to a pagan rendering of Constantinople ere *ade b( an(

Varangians or if it #a*e to the* ill not be able to be full( #lear but e #an sa( for

#ertain that there ere religious or at least philosophi#al varieties that eisted in

'()antiu* that *a( have influen#ed Varangians both ithin Constantinople as ell as

ithin '()antiu*+ $e do have a##essible eviden#e of Varangians folloing :arald

:ard-5uler4s lead b( bringing treasured ite*s ba#/ fro* Constantinople to S#andinavia,

folloing their dut( tours in the Varangian &uard+ Varangians li/e their prede#essor

:arald :ard-5uler ere re#ipients of handso*e pa(*ent for their dut(+ A *ore

provin#ial for#e though thought to have been #heaper and *ore lo(al did not #arr( the

sa*e *otivational eight that leveraging pa( to hired soldiers #arried and lo(alt( and

s/ill pur#hased #ould be a##o*plished ith a vastl( feer nu*ber of *en+"ndi#ated that

the #ons#ripts ere not full ti*e soldiers and thus ould not be as effe#tive as ones

hose sole dut( as to fight and defend, John :aldon *a/es a #lear argu*ent for the

3> Magdalino-Mavroudi p+20< #on#erning &rae#o-%g(ptian Al#he*( *anus#ripts in pap(rus+

2?



use of professional soldiers b( the '()antine %*perors in that

“This as a #on#ept in hi#h the full-ti*e DprofessionalE *er#enaries hired b(

the e*pire ere both *ore effe#tive ta#ti#all( and provided usuall(9 greater

value for *one( than the #heap but largel( ineffe#tive the*ati# *ilitias, the

*ilitaril( useful #ore ele*ents of hi#h ere too s*all to be able to prose#ute a

long- ter* strateg( of epansion ith all its i*pli#ations per*anent frontier

garrisons, rapid *obili)ation, #onstant *ilitar( readiness and so forth9+++ +++The

overall ualit( of *en re#ruited as better, and a *u#h better sele#tion and

balan#e of spe#ialists in parti#ular ar*s #ould be *ade -ar#hers, heav( or light

#avalr( and so forth+++ +++total nu*bers of foreign *er#enaries ere never large,

(et the( fulfilled etre*el( effe#tive servi#e for the %*pire in hatever theaters

the( ere engaged+

@0

10<< sa *a7or shifts in the #ontrol stru#tures of %urope+ !or*an for#es under

8u/e $illia* of !or*and( invaded and su##eeded to #onuer %ngland ste**ing fro*

a *assive battle in :astings+ Saon-8anish that ere the #urrent o##up(ing for#e ere

#ast out to an#estral holdings in the !orth or in S#otland, *an( of ho* lost

landholdings to the ne regi*e+ !oregian #ons#ripts to the battle lost as ell and

@0 John :aldon, 9arfare State and Society in the Byzantine 9orld, ?<?-120@, p+ >2

2<



at greatest a*it( ith the 5us to the north though tensions ith the southern Caliphates

ere pea#eful enough to understand the profitabilit( of the pilgri*s to the :ol( land+

"ns#ribed even in !orse runes and 7eelr(, pilgri*ages and Jerusale* itself as a sour#e

of profit for both the '()antines and Musli* o##up(ing for#e+@@ The Sel7u/s and .ran/s

ali/e robbed the '()antines of hat #ould have be#o*e a pea#eful and har*onious

relationship beteen Christianit( and "sla*+ The onl( bular/ against outright

destru#tion b( the suee)e of "sla* to the %ast and Latin Christianit( to the $est as

the fa*e and notoriet( of the Varangians+ Seen in paintings fro* the S/(lit)es

*anus#ripts in Madrid, the Varangians be#a*e s(non(*ous ith the granduer of

'()antiu*+ The aes depi#ted in the hands of the Varangians *a/e their a( into

nu*erous pie#es of artor/ fro* s#ulpture to *osai# to fres#os+@? Varangians

positioned the*selves .ro* 'asil "" to Aleios """ as a for*idable and #onsistentl(

building for#e+ non to their orld as fier#el( lo(al to their e*plo(er the %*peror,

their dut( to '()antiu* too/ the* be(ond the *ere #ontet of a *er#enar( for#e and

into a dedi#ated feilt( to a lord+ The( ere the %*perors strength and hat /ept

Constantinople fro* being repeatedl( sa#/ed+ 5epeatedl( the guard as in position to

negotiate ith hostile for#es, dispat#h the* or arrange for pea#eful redistributions of

poer throughout '()antiu*+ The( ere the true arbiters that sa the #o*ing of the

.irst Crusade, avoided the ensuing #onfli#t and negotiated a pea#eful settle*ent to the

@@ %lse 5oesdahl and 8avid M+ ilson, $rom Viking to %rusader, pp+110-111> !iels-nud Liebgott rites in a se#tion

#on#erning pilgri*ages and #rusades about #ru#ifi, #oin and even gravestones depi#ting !orse*en in the Levant+

@? httpBB+*i/lagard+nvg+org+auBperiodBs/(lit)espeter+ht* S/(lit)es MS, 'ibliote#a !a#oinal in Madrid, fol+ 2< V-aSee Also =late 2

2;

http://www.miklagard.nvg.org.au/period/skylitzes_peter.htm





abdi#ation of %*peror Aleios """ upon the siege of the .ourth Crusade+@<

%nglandIs epulsion of all *er#enar( for#es as a #lause in the Magna Carta, sa

that even *ore %nglish and soldiers ithin the for*er e*plo( of John ", ere no

for#ed to see/ patronage elsehere and s(ste*ati#all( #hanged the Varangian for#e fro*

a predo*inantl( !orse-Vi/ings ethni#it( to that of a Anglo-Saon identit(+@6 =a(ed as

*u#h as @0 gold #oins a (ear and aarded ith the plunder of #onuered nations, the

Varangian &uard and life in '()antiu* as far *ore appealing to a displa#ed or

i*poverished people than that of a stri#t Crusade ethi# propagated b( the Latin Chur#h

to the $est+@;

Abilit( to gain ne lands, ealth, honor and the rights to inherit, and hold lands

generationall( to the %ast, as *ost #ertainl( a land grab for northern %uropeans during

the Crusades+ Varangians in '()antiu* effe#tivel( be#a*e the %uropeans dissatisfied

ith ho*eland poli#( and as #o*prised of those ho sought refuge in a Christendo*

*ore e#ono*i#all( and so#iall( *obile+@> 5us has positioned the*selves to be the net

great e*pire ith inherited and *arriage #onne#tions to Constantinople+ 5us =rin#es

had adopted openl( pagan dini# #ults to Thor and in#reased the prospe#t of religious

pluralit( and a##eptan#e ithin the Varangian &uard and outer '()antiu*+?0 The

@< Tho*as .+ Madden, The Ne %oncise :istory of the %rusades, 5o*an and Littlefield, 200<, pp 116-11>

@6 :+$+C+ 8avis, 8edieval =ngland,ford Hniversit( =ress, 1>2;, p+12@

@; :+5+ %llis 8avidson, The Viking /oad to Byzantium, London, 1>6<, pp+ 166-1>2

@> %li)abeth =ilt), p ;??0 5oesdahl and $ilson, 1@@-1<1

2>



Crusader Ar*ies not onl( tharted the e#ono*i# gain b( both the "sla*i#ate orld but

that of the ievan 5us+ Tho*as Madden, though etensivel( #o**ents on .ran/ish

a#tivit(, grossl( negle#ts the advan#es in influen#e and poer a*ong the '()antine

Varangians and onl( *entions the na*e three ti*es throughout his boo/, and onl(

briefl( na*ing the &uard, ith no eplanation as to their signifi#an#e other than their

*er#enar( status+?1 Li/eise the s#holarship on "sla*i# *ove*ents ithin the Levant as

portra(ed b( Carole :illenbrand, sa(s nothing of Varangians or even 5us to the !orth+?2

1@?34s final sa#/ of Constantinople sa the final de#i*ation of hat %*peror

'asil "" built as a potential global poerhouse nation of '()antine-5us, defended b(

!orse*en and i*igrant Anglo-Saons+ Though *ostl( a#tive as a for#e of about <000

soldiers in the dire#t servi#e of the e*peror these elites a##o*plished hat eight ti*es

that nu*er of &ree/s #ould #ould have done in battle+ Anna Co**ena4s re#ounting of

*ilitar( stateg( puts Varangians at a for#e ratio of 1 in ever( ; soldiers as a Varangian,

and the *ost effe#tive #avalr( #a*e fro* lands of the 5us+?3 8estabili)ed b( b( both

*ilitant .ran/s filled ith ideologi#al religious fever, blind to e#ono*i# effe#ts of their

Crusades, as ell as radi#al Musli* Sel7u/s, Constantinople as a pla#e-holder,

atte*pting to thart the eventual balan#e #ollapse of the entire region+ The Tur/s to the

%ast #reated an Musli* identit( intolerant of Christianit( and further opened the door to

?1 Tho*as .+ Madden, p+ 2<0+

?2 Carole :illenbrand, The %rusades,Islamic Pers!ectives, 5outledge, !F, 2000

?3 John :aldon, pp+ 103,@,? :aldon further notes that so*e of the Mer#enaries arrived fro* .ran/ish Lands as ellthough no details are given to that effe#t ithin his tet on these pages+

30



=late 1

%urope b( 1100

33



=late 2

.ro* the S/(lit)es Manus#ript+

3@



8evries, ell(, The Noregiean Invasion of =ngland in +566,$oodbridge, Suffol/ The

'o(dell =ress, 1>>>

.ran#e, John ed+, 8ercenaries and Paid 8en; The 8ercenary Identity in the 8iddle

Ages, Leiden 'rill, 200;

:aldon, John, 9arfare, State, and Society in the Byzantine 9orld -6-*+45, London

HCL =ress, 1>>>

:elle, nut, The %ambridge :istory of Scandinavia> Volume +> Prehistory to +-45,

Ca*bridgef Ca*bridge Hniversit( =ress, 2003

:eath, "an, The Vikings, ford spre( =ublishing, 1>;?

:illenbrand, Carole, The %rusades; Islamic Pers!ectives, !e For/ 5outledge, 2000

:olland, Ce#ilia , The :igh %ity, Ne ?ork; .orge, 200>

Jones, &(n, A :istory of the Vikings, ford ford Hniversit( =ress, 1>;@

irs#h, Jonathan, The 'rand In&uisitors 8anual> A :istory of Terror in the Name of

'od, !e For/ :arper ne, 200;

Liestol, Asla/, /unic Inscri!tions> Varangian Problems, Scando*Slavica, Su!!lementum

+, Copenhagen Mun/sgaard,1><;

Madden, Tho*as ., The Ne %onsise :istory of the %rusades>"!dated Student =dition,

Mar(land 5o*an and Littlefield, 200<

Magdalino, =aul and Mavroudi, Maria, ed+, The 3ccult Sciences in Byzantium,&eneva

La =o**e 84or, 200<

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Martin, Sean, The %athars, The 8ost Successful :eresy of the 8iddle Ages, !e For/

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!ordstro*, '(ron J+, @ictionary of Scandinavian :istory, $estport, London

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=artner, =eter, The 7nights Tem!lar and Their 8yth, 5o#hester 8estin( 'oo/s, 1>>0

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circa )55*+-55, Minneapolis, London 1>>3

S#ott, Sir $alter, Ivanhoe,London Signet Classi# 2001

Sease, Virginia and S#h*idt-'rahant, Manfred, Thinkers, Saints, :eretics; S!iritual

Paths of the 8iddle Ages, .orest 5o Te*ple :ouse =ublishing, 2006

Sible(, %bene)er, The %lavis or 7ey to the 8agic of Solomon by =benezer Sibley; $rom

a 8anuscri!t Pre!ared by $rederick :ockley> 9ith Introduction and %ommentary by

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Siniossoglou, !i/etas, /adical Platonism in Byzantium, Ca*bridge Ca*bridge

36



Hniversit( =ress, 2011

Stender-=eterson, Adolf, Varangica, Copenhagen Aarhus, 1>?3

Terr(, =atri#ia, The Song of /oland, "ndianapolis, !e For/ The 'obbs-Merril

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Web Sources:

=late 1 Sour#ed fro* httpBB+s/(s#raper#it(+#o*Bshothread+phpKt11<;?;6

=late 2 Sour#ed fro* httpBB+*i/lagard+nvg+org+auBperiodBs/(lit)espeter+ht*

Astrolabe Site httpBB+/uriositas+#o*B2011B0@Bastrolabe-*agnifi#ent-#o*puter-

of+ht*l

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