Get the look: Vikingman, Varangian Guard

The Varangian Guard, an elite group in the Byzantine army from the 10th to the 14th century, served as personal bodyguards to the Byzantine emperors. Most members of this unit came from Northern Europe, such as Norsemen from Scandinavia and later Anglo-Saxons from England. Their origin far from the Byzantine Empire made them less susceptible to internal uprisings. A significant number of recruits came from Scandinavia, prompting various Scandinavian countries to enact laws to limit inheritances of emigrated guard members. In later years, the guard consisted mainly of Anglo-Saxons and other peoples who had previously suffered under Vikings.

The Varangians, originally from the Kievan Rus, were formally established in 988 under Emperor Basil II after the Christianization of Kiev by Vladimir I. They participated in military operations in Italy and Sicily, among other places, alongside other Vikings and Lombards. The guard members were known for their use of the Dane axe and were often described as cavalry, although they mostly fought on foot. Besides their role as bodyguards, they had ceremonial and policing duties and enjoyed the unique privilege of running to the imperial treasury to take gold and gems upon the death of the Byzantine emperor (polutasvarf). This encouraged more Scandinavians to join the guard and travel to Miklagarðr (Swedish = Miklagård = 'The Great City', i.e., Constantinople).

The Varangians also left a legacy of rune stones in Scandinavia, commemorating their journeys and losses, particularly the Greek Rune Stones. These rune stones testify to the influence of Byzantine culture on the Varangians and serve as a lasting reminder of their history.

In the heart of this era of exploration, trade, and conquests stands Ragnvald, a Viking man whose life represents an epic journey. In this blog, we assemble a member of the Byzantine Varangian Guard. 

Ragnvald is of aristocratic descent and was born in southern Sweden. In his teenage years, Ragnvald traveled down the Volga in search of status and adventure to the area of the Kievan Rus. From there, he continued to Byzantine Constantinople where he became a member of the Varangian Guard. His hope was to make a name for himself, like all those men about whom the sagas and mythical stories and poems tell. Ragnvald only plans to return to southern Sweden when he is laden with gold. 

In this composition, Ragnvald wears expensive clothing and also carries a sword and chainmail shirt from his family. Even as a member of the guard, he earns a lot of money for his services. 

Ragnvald wears a long blue tunic that can be paired with an undertunic. 

A suitable undertunic is, for example, the tunic Leif.

Ragnvald wears a typical puffed pants, these pants are seen everywhere in the Viking world and are also called a Rusvik trousers. 

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For the Viking belt and the pouch, we chose fittings excavated in Birka. Birka was the trade center that connected Scandinavia with the Baltic Sea, the Kievan Rus and Constantinople. 

The shoes that Ragnvald wears are boots based on finds from the Oseberg ship. These boots can be folded down to become lower shoes. 

During his journey to Constantinople, Ragnvald takes his caftan and cap with him. 

The caftan is made of blue wool and serves as a kind of coat. The design may have originated from an early Germanic type of overcoat or been influenced by contacts with neighboring peoples such as the Alans. 

The cap is made of wool.

In Birka, hooks have been found in various graves to attach leg wrappings. Therefore, we have chosen in this composition to adorn Ragnvald with leg wrappings.

Of course, you can also opt for a less conspicuous colour. There is plenty of choice! https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/nl/kleding/vikingen/viking-winingas/ 

In Scandinavia, several fragments of chainmail have been found. Fragments of chainmail have also been found in Birka. We assume that Ragnvald took his chainmail shirt from Southern Sweden (the land of the Rus) on his journey towards Constantinople. 

Unfortunately, no fragments of Viking gambesons have been found. However, we assume that Vikings wore a gambeson or another padded tunic under their chainmail shirt. Chainmail protects against cuts and to a lesser extent against thrusts, but gambesons were needed to protect against the impact of blows. 

In Scandinavia, very few finds of scale armor, also known as lamellar armor, have been made. Only two fragments of scale armor have been found on Gotland and some fragments in Birka. Analyses show that the latter were not made in Scandinavia. In the regions of Russia, Ukraine, and the Byzantine Empire, more scale armor was used. For Ragnvald, the scale armor he wears is an extension of his current armor. Scale armour was easier to produce than mail shirts and offered more protection against thrusts. Because Ragnvald also wears his chainmail shirt, the gaps in the scale armour are extra protected.

The Dane axe was the 'trademark' of the Varangian Guard. These axes were brought from the Viking 'lands' and were reportedly capable of even decapitating a horse. These impressive axes were later adopted by the Anglo-Saxons and also the Scottish-Irish galloglass.

In addition to these main weapons, Ragnvald had a variety of other weapons. Ragnvald was also not unfamiliar with archery and horseback riding. 10th-century Viking graves of wealthy Vikings often contained multiple weapons, regularly of high quality. It is common for several spears or axes to be included in a single grave. 

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Ragnvald would likely have worn a sword as well.

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Only a few Viking helmets have been found (Gjermundbu, Yarm, Tjele, Lokrume, Kyif) and it is assumed that Vikings did not exclusively wear spectacle helmets. Around the 10th century, spangen helmets like these were worn in Europe. 

Later, members of the Varangian guard wore a nasal helmet like this one, which shows Slavic influences. 

In addition to his weapons, Ragnvald wore a shield. The shields of the Varangian Guard are mentioned in various historical sources and are also depicted on an 11th-century fresco in the St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv. These round Viking shields were crucial for building shield walls as a frontline against the enemy, although the Varangian Guard was primarily unleashed at critical moments on the battlefield. They were ideal for breaking through lines. 

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Whether Ragnvald will ever see his homeland again is the question. 25 of the 30 rune stones erected in Sweden for adventures in Constantinople tell of members who never returned alive. But a few inscriptions mention men who, laden with wealth, returned to Sweden. The well-known Norwegian king Harald the 3rd (Harald Hardrada, 1015-1066) also joined the Varangian Guard, gained fame there, only to meet a bloody end like a true Viking during the Battle of Stamford Bridge in Yorkshire, England.