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"Vikings: Valhalla" - Did Harald Sigurdsson really become captain of the Varangian Guard?
The series "Vikings: Valhalla" shows the aspiring king of Norway rising to lead the personal bodyguard of the Byzantine Emperor. But is it based on historical fact?2 years ago — Legacy -
The Varangian Guard: Viking warriors protecting the Byzantine Empire
More than 20 runestones are dotted throughout the scenic Swedish countryside near the town of Täby. They tell the story of a Viking-era chief, Jarlabanke Ingefatsson, the head of a clan responsible for over 100 men in the surrounding region.2 years ago — Partner content -
Vikings and the Silk Roads: Eastern adventures
We know that people from Viking societies were the early medieval period's great entrepreneurs conducting trade, plunder, and pillage across vast swathes of Europe and its surrounds. However, did they trade along the famous Silk Roads that connected East to West, linking Europe and Asia?2 years ago — Trade -
Vikings and Christianity: European experiences in East and West
In 1054, the Great Schism fractured Christian Europe, dividing the largely Roman Catholic West and the predominantly Orthodox East. However, for much of the early medieval period, deep divisions were already evident between Rome and Constantinople, the two centers of power in the Christian world.2 years ago — Culture and religion -
Who was Harald Hardrada? Part 2: Politics, power, and six feet of English soil
Was there a more dangerous and skillful warrior than Harald Hardrada by the mid-1030s CE? For more than two decades, since he set foot on the battlefield at Stiklestad as a mere teenager, wet behind the ears, his life had been defined by his martial skill.3 years ago — History -
The mystery of the Viking graffiti in the Hagia Sophia
One of the most famous churches, mosques, and museums all in one, the Hagia Sophia, has runic graffiti from the era when Vikings walked the streets of Constantinople. How and why it got there is a mystery that has only recently been unlocked.3 years ago — History -
Elite Viking warriors: Who were the Varangian Guard?
The Vikings who set off to travel south and east to today's territory of Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine, and further on to the east and south, were called the Varangians.4 years ago — History
