Harald Hardrada the Varangian Guard

Harald Hardrada, King of Norway (1046-1066), the "Last Great Viking" as a Varangian Guard in the service of the Byzantine Empire

Harald Hardrada, also known as Harald Sigurdsson was one of the greatest kings of medieval Norway ruling from 1046-1066, but one fact about him was that before his rule, he served the Byzantine Empire as part of the famous Varangian Guard consisting of Nordic and Rus warriors protecting the emperor. At only 15 in 1030, Harald fled his homeland of Norway to the Kievan Rus' Empire after his family was defeated in battle and in the Kievan Rus' Empire, Harald served as a military captain for their grand prince Yaroslav I. After some years, Harald moved south to the Byzantine Empire to seek more wealth by joining the elite Varangian Guard wherein he soon rose up to become its commander under Emperor Michael IV the Paphlagonian (r. 1034-1041).

In his time as Byzantium's Varangian Guard commander, Harald took part in the ambitious campaign to recapture Sicily from the Arabs from 1038-1040 led by the general George Maniakes, which at the end failed due to a series of misunderstandings. Harald however continued fighting for the Byzantines against the rebel Lombards and Normans in Southern Italy before being reassigned to Bulgaria in 1041 to crush a massive revolt. It was also said that Harald himself killed the Bulgarian rebel leader Delyan which earned him the name "Bulgar-Burner". Following Michael IV's death in 1041, Harald was imprisoned by the new emperor Michael V, although he escaped and led the revolt against Michael V where it is said that Harald himself blinded Michael V after he was overthrown in 1042, also the same year Harald ended his military service in Byzantium and returned to the Kievan Rus' empire to marry Princess Elisiv, later returning to Norway very rich making large amounts of money serving Byzantium, therefore in 1046 he claimed the Norwegian throne and became King Harald III. As king, Harald led Norway into an age of prosperity spreading Christianity too, although in 1066 he died when trying to invade England at the Battle of Stamford Bridge.

This here is my Artwork of Harald Hardrada as a Varangian Guard in Byzantine armor.

© Art by Powee Celdran, 2021