Small Question

**MadWolf** · March 15, 2007, 09:31 PM

How did the Norsemen end up as Varangian Guard?

**Athokas** · March 16, 2007, 01:26 AM

Small explanation: They Sailed down the Russian rivers

**orthex** · March 16, 2007, 03:12 AM

There had been mercenaries before, but Basil II was the first emperor to really create the Varangian Guard we know. In 988 he requested help from Vladimir of Kiev to defend his throne. Vladimir agreed, sent him 6000 men, and got Basil's sister, Anna, in exchange. These 6000 men, or what was left of them after the rebellion had been smothered, were organized into the Varangian Guard. After that, until the 11th century, they were mainly recruited from Scandinavia.

**GodlyAvatar** · March 16, 2007, 11:35 AM

Wiki is your friend

**tnick777** · March 16, 2007, 03:02 PM

Wiki is also not exactly accurate.

**GodlyAvatar** · March 16, 2007, 04:18 PM

True, but it gives him an overall, fairly accurate history, saving us all time.

**Little_Mikey** · March 16, 2007, 10:55 PM

Yeah, definitely wikipedia.

**Beiss** · March 17, 2007, 04:40 AM

Hey, this mod is supposed to be wikipedia friendly.

**finneys13** · March 17, 2007, 05:15 AM

That wiki article seems spot on after a quick glance at it.

**mocker** · March 17, 2007, 05:28 AM

About wikipedia articles:

Always look at their sources!
If an article doesn't cite sources, then it's bound to have several flaws.

A nice rule is that we trust what wikipedia says unless a more trustworthy source comes up.