In a book entitled “WHAT LIFE WAS LIKE WHEN LONGSHIPS SAILED: VIKINGS, A. D. 800-1100”, edited by Denise Dersin, Alexandria, Virginia: Time-Life Books, 1998, I ran across some interesting information regarding the Viking warrior Harald Hardrada and the Byzantine empress Zoe on pages 80-86:

“ . . . He charmed the Byzantine empress, Zoe, and those close to her said that she secretly longed to marry him, although she already had a husband and consort, the emperor Michael, and Harald was still pining for that “golden lady in Russia,” Elizabeth, who had not yet been granted to him. Zoe’s fond regard for Harald ultimately turned sour, but at first he was without fault in the eyes of his imperial patrons, . . . “

“ . . . he rose to become head of the Varangian guard, . . . “

“ . . . Even his imperial patrons who did well by his skullduggery, came to resent and distrust him. After many rewarding campaigns, he returned to Constantinople and resigned his command, . . . “

“ . . . But Empress Zoe was unwilling to let Harald slip away. She accused him of withholding from the imperial couple their full share of the plunder and had him imprisoned. Perhaps she still longed for him and wanted to keep him close, but her passion went unrequited. The only woman who ever came close to rivaling the distant Elizabeth in Harald’s affections was Zoe’s alluring niece, Maria, and the empress was not about to let Harald have her."

"No prison could hold Harald for long. With help from confederates, he escaped from the dungeon, roused his Varangians, and assailed the emperor and put out his eyes. Then to add insult to injury, he abducted Maria and carried her off in his longship. The great iron chains at the mouth of the Bosporus blocked his exit, . . . but the ever-resourceful Harald moved his gear sternward to elevate the prow and slipped up and over the chains with a mighty assist from his oarsmen. Once safely free of Zoe’s grasp, he put Maria ashore and bade her return to Constantinople and remind the empress how little power she had over him, “for with all her might she could not have prevented him from marrying the girl.”

“In truth, Maria was dispensable. On his way back to Norway, Harald stopped off in Russia and renewed his suit for the hand of Elizabeth. Yaroslav could see by all the treasure Harald had accumulated that he was worthy of a princess, and he sanctioned the match. As one poet put it: . . . "

“The warlike king of Norway Won the match of his desire, He gained a king’s daughter And a hoard of gold as well.”

Here is a Byzantine mosaic of a Varangian Guard member--possibly Harald Hardrada himself: