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The Varangian Way

General Region ₂ Featured November 9 , 2005

Varangians, Rus, Russian history, Germanic migrations

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The origins of the Varangians is little documented, but they are thought to have originated principally from Sweden. These Vikings used their shallow-bottomed boats to sail far up the rivers into the area which is today western Russia - this comes from the fact that the Varangians were also called the Rus - Swedes are called 'Ruotsi' by the Finns.
One story goes that the Slavs and others invited the Rus to lead them, as they had no good leaders themselves. A party of Rus departed from their homeland, and their leader Rurik established his rule over Holmgard, or Novgorod, in 860 AD. The Varangians mixed with the native peoples of this region, and their realm turned into the embryonic Russia.
Later, Varangians were used as mercenaries for the Byzantium empire and there was even a "Varangian Guard" who protected the Emperor and his family. However, as time wore on the guard attracted mercenaries from other countries, including Scotland and England, and therefore was Varangian by name only.

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