Varanga was a source of personnel for both the Byzantine and European armies.
The great Aetheriarchs and Akolufs led military formations and formations at different theaters of operations. So, Feoktist in the 30s. XI century. acted in Syria, and Mikhail in the middle of the same century - on the Pechenezh front and in Armenia. Lower-ranking officers such as Harald Hardrada and Rangwald fought in Sicily and Asia around the same period. The state trusted the competence of the Varang officers, entrusting them with the command of various groups of different composition in all theaters of the empire.
By placing officers of the Varangian Guard at the head of the army formations, the Vasilevs strengthened control over the entire army. Warangi officers, who gained rich combat experience, often occupied iconic positions in the military-administrative structure of their nation states. The most striking example is, of course, Harald Hardrada (Sigurdson - that is, the Terrible), the most famous Varangian guardsman of Byzantium, the future king of Norway and the failed king of England.
The Scandinavian sagas are the most important source of information about people who served in the Varangian Guard of Byzantium. Runic inscriptions are also important sources. Such inscriptions on the gravestones of the Varangian warriors and leaders briefly tell about the fate of the warriors who distinguished themselves in a foreign land, who returned to rest in their native land. They tell us about the adventures and most important achievements of such soldiers of fortune.
When the son of the king of Eastern Norway Sigurd the Pig and the younger half-brother of King Olaf II of Norway, young Harald was only 15 years old, Olaf died defending his throne from the Great Cnut. Harald participated in the Battle of Stiklastadir in 1030, was wounded in it, and then left Norway. Having formed a detachment of exiles like him, in 1031 Harald arrived in Russia, where he entered the service of the Kiev Grand Duke Yaroslav the Wise.
After serving for 3 years, in 1034 the Kiev warrior Harald with his detachment (about 500 fighters) arrived in Byzantium and joined the Varangian Guard. The young Norwegian is motivated by the desire for military exploits and the desire to get rich. The young Varangian quickly showed himself in combat conditions, having won the respect of the Varangs. As Harald himself noted, by the time he entered the Varangian Guard, he was a sufficiently trained warrior: he knew the "eight kinds" of exercises, knew how to fight bravely, knew the art of horsemanship, knew how to swim, run on skates, throw a spear and row.
The source notes that the "Land of the Greeks" was ruled by Emperor Michael Calafat and Empress Zoya. Harald, meeting with the latter, and entered the service. And soon Harald became "the leader of all verings".
European chronicler Adam of Bremen also speaks of Harald's arrival. The sagas note that initially Harald, for security reasons, did not give his real name and did not disclose his origin, taking the name Nordbricht.
K. Kekavmen in his Advice and stories of the commander reports on Harald's stay in the empire. An eyewitness noted that the young Varangian brought 500 brave warriors with him, was, as expected, received by the Basileus, who sent Harald to Sicily. Arriving in Sicily, the Varangians performed "great deeds" there. After the conquest of Sicily, Harald was awarded the rank of Manglabit. After the revolt of Delyan in Bulgaria, Harald and his soldiers, together with the Vasileus, took part in the Bulgarian campaign, having accomplished deeds worthy of their "courage and nobility." After the pacification of Bulgaria, the Basileus granted Harald the rank of Spafar candidate. But, as noted by K. Kekavmen, after the death of the emperor and his nephew, Harald decided to go home. The new sovereign Constantine Monomakh did not want to part with Harald, detaining the latter. But the Manglabit and Spafar candidate were able to escape and reign in their homeland. Moreover, even after becoming king, he remained loyal to the emperor and friendship with Byzantium.
While serving the empire for 10 years, Harald participated in a number of campaigns and battles.
Here are the main milestones of his Byzantine service:
1034 - 1036 - campaigns against the Syrian and Asia Minor pirates;
1035 - 1037 - campaigns to Mesopotamia and Syria (in 1036 Harald visited Jerusalem, reached the Jordan, bowed to the Holy Cross and the Holy Sepulcher);
1036 - 1040 - participation in the Sicilian campaign (the Varangians acted under the general command of a talented commander - Cathepan of Italy Georgy Maniak; upon his return from Sicily, Harald receives the rank of Manglabit), and this time is a golden period (literally and figuratively) in the life of a young Scandinavian (Harald in his Ode recalled these days of "our splendor"));
1041 - participation in the Varange in suppressing the uprising of Peter Delyan in Bulgaria (according to the sagas and chronicles, Harald personally killed the Bulgarian king in the battle, allegedly becoming the commander of the entire Varangian guard; K. Kekavmen mentions this, the runic inscription on the Piraeus lion notes the name of Harald the High; following the results of the Bulgarian campaign, the future king becomes a candidate for Spafar).
Still, it is worth noting the average level of titles that Harald was awarded in Byzantium. K. Kekavmen, expressing the tendencies of the established practice of the empire, notes that foreigners should not be assigned large titles and entrust them with high positions - this humiliates the indigenous Romans. Indeed, according to Byzantine logic, if a foreigner is awarded a higher title than a Spafar candidate, he will become careless and cease to faithfully serve the emperor.
In 1042, Harald and his unit took an active part in the coup - Michael V Calafat was dethroned and then blinded. As the Byzantine scholar G. G. Litavrin noted, from the very beginning of the new reign, Emperor Constantine Monomakh showed distrust to the Varangians and the Russians - after all, they faithfully served the Paphlagonians so hated by them. And given the fact that Harald, among other things, was a friend of Yaroslav the Wise (with whom Constantine Monomakh immediately developed a difficult relationship that ended in an open military clash in 1043), it is not surprising that the charges brought against Hardrada by the emperor. The subject of the charges is the misappropriation of public funds.
Once in prison with two comrades (Ulv Ospaxon and Halldor Snorrason), Harald was able to escape from Constantinople. His cellmates and many soldiers from his unit fled with him. The Varangians escaped on Harald's ship (since the Byzantines blocked the Golden Horn Bay with a chain, when the ship approached the latter, people quickly ran to the stern, and the bow rose above the chain, and then ran to the bow - and the ship passed over the chain). According to one legend, the reason for the arrest of Harald was not theft, but the love of Mary, the niece of the Empress Zoe, for him.
The fugitives found shelter in Kiev.
In 1043, Yaroslav made a campaign against Constantinople - the operation was led by Harald and the son of the Grand Duke, Prince of Novgorod, Vladimir. In 1046, peace was concluded.
In the winter of 1044, Harald married Elizabeth Yaroslavna, the daughter of Yaroslav the Wise. The former officer of Varangi and the future king of Norway had to work hard to win the girl's love. Harald himself, speaking in the Ode about his skills, skills and military merits, complains in every quatrain that "is not nice to the Russian beauty."
Harald fought in all theaters of Byzantium - in Sicily, Mesopotamia, Syria and Palestine. Over the years of service, he got hold of huge values (in gold and precious stones) - and for a number of years he sent part of his production for storage to his friend and future father-in-law Yaroslav the Wise. In his saga, Harald also focuses on the fact that he took a lot of gold, valuables and precious stones and that he sent all the surplus of this wealth, everything that he personally and the army did not need at the moment, with trusted people to Kiev. for safekeeping "to king Yaritsleiv". And at hand, Yaroslav has accumulated huge wealth - after all, Harald fought in the richest regions, capturing 80 cities.
The question of the property sent to Yaroslav for storage is very interesting. According to Norwegian law, the wealth obtained in the Byzantine service, Harald should not be sent home. Article 47 of the "Laws of Gulating" established that a person leaving Norway could determine the person who would manage his property - but only for a 3-year period. After 3 years, all his property automatically went to the heirs, and if he left for the Byzantine Empire, the heirs acquired the rights to this property immediately. And the help of Yaroslav, who received, preserved and returned his property to the young Norwegian, was invaluable.
Returning to his homeland after a fruitful Byzantine service, having acquired extensive combat experience, Harald began to implement his strategic plans. Trophy and Byzantine gold became the initial capital for their implementation.
In 1045, at the head of the army, Harald found himself in Sweden, becoming a threat to his nephew, King Magnus of Denmark and Norway. The latter in 1046 made Harald his Norwegian co-ruler. A year later, before his death, he proclaimed his heirs: in Norway - Harald III, and in Denmark - Sven II.
Harald started the war for the Danish throne with Sven. The Danes suffered regular defeats, the Norwegian ships annually ravaged the coastal areas. In 1050, Harald sacked Denmark's main trade center, Hedeby. In 1062, in a naval battle at the mouth of the river. Nisan was defeated by Sven's fleet. But, despite all the victories, Denmark failed to conquer - the population supported Sven. In 1064 Sven and Harald made peace - the latter renounced claims to the Danish throne.
In addition to the bloody war with Denmark, in 1063 - 1065. a war with Sweden took place - the king of the latter supported the opposition jarls to Harald. In 1063, at the battle of Venern, Harald defeated the troops of the Swedes and the Upland rebels.
In domestic politics, Harald was a tough centralizer, and during the years of his reign, Christianity finally took root in Norway. Hardrada also took care of the development of trade - it was he who founded in 1048 the trading settlement of Oslo, the future capital of Norway.
Harald Hardrada died on 25.09.1066 in the battle at Stamford Bridge - near the city of York. The troops of the former officer of the Varangian Guard clashed with the army of the English king Harold Godwinson. On the last campaign, Hardrada was accompanied by his faithful wife Elizaveta Yaroslavna, both daughters and son Olaf (the eldest son was left in Norway and was proclaimed king). Having landed with about 15,000 soldiers (arriving on 300 ships) in Northern England, Harald defeated the first British troops he met at Fulford on September 20. And 5 days later at Stamford Bridge, the Norwegian king received a mortal wound (an arrow pierced his throat), and his troops were defeated.
This is how the most famous commander of the Varangian Guard ended his life. The finances, combat and organizational experience acquired in the service of the Byzantine Empire were enough for him to become the unifying king of Norway. It is not known how the fate of England could have developed, if not for that fatal arrow. Hardrada would probably wear 2 royal crowns, while William the Conqueror would have none. And on the English throne after the death of Hardrada, his descendants would reign - monarchs, in whose veins the blood of Yaroslav the Wise flowed.
From the moment he arrived in the empire, Harald immediately took up an officer's position - commanding his detachment as part of Warangi. Later he earned the ranks of Manglabit and Spafar candidate.
Harald Hardrada remained in history not only as the king of Norway, “the last Viking” and founder of Oslo, but also as one of the fantastically wealthy people for his time. Wealth was acquired by him through merit and personal effort. The source of Harald's wealth was well known. So, Adam of Bremen noted that Harald was able to save it, becoming a warrior of the emperor, going through many battles at sea and on land, and becoming famous for his personal valor. Nevertheless, in addition to such sources of his wealth as war booty, imperial gifts, 3 times participation in imperial coronations and 3 times implementation of the custom of taking what he wanted after the death of the emperor, it was also significant that after the overthrow of Michael Calafat, Harald could be among the crowds that stormed the imperial palace - taking part in a process called the saga "robbery of the royal chambers."
There are also corresponding points of view of historians regarding the possibility of obtaining additional income for Varangs: firstly, the Varangians could take part in the process of collecting taxes in areas where ordinary collectors could not cope without the support of the military, and secondly, being stationed for a long period in the corresponding province, mercenaries could receive a special tax from the local population.
Be that as it may, Harald had more than enough opportunities for personal enrichment, in addition to participating in hostilities.
And if to the possibility of acquiring significant funds we add a reliable channel for their preservation, then it is clear that Harald could not help but become a rich man. Returning to Russia, he took not only the gold and jewelry previously sent to Yaroslav from Byzantium, but also the daughter of a friend - his beloved wife Elizabeth Yaroslavna.
It is worth remembering that Harald Hardrada, in addition to being an officer of the Byzantine imperial army, was also the commander of the Russian troops, and later the son-in-law of the Kiev Grand Duke - and belonged to the previously mentioned Varangian-Rus. It is significant that for almost 10 years of service to the Byzantine Empire, 7 years of service of Harald of Kievan Rus' also took place.
