Results 1 to 25 of 25

Thread: New 3d unit: Varangian Guard

Hybrid View

Previous Post Previous Post   Next Post Next Post
  1. #1

    Default Re: New 3d unit: Varangian Guard

    Quote Originally Posted by The Blind King of Bohemia
    No mate the Rus were the first Russians, they are the same thing.
    Weren't the Rus the Scandianvians who conquered the area around Ukraine? I know they became the Russians, but I was under the impression that it was in the same way the Normans in Ireland became Irish, the slow assimilation of the small conquering elite class into the majority population's culture.

    I could easily be mistaken, though.

  2. #2
    Boondock Saint Senior Member The Blind King of Bohemia's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    England
    Posts
    4,294

    Default Re: New 3d unit: Varangian Guard

    Yes, but I don't think before that the Slavic populations were known as Rus in the same way the Irish already had their own strong identity.

    Quick quote from the Russian Primary Chronicle:

    Thus they went overseas to the Varangians, to the Rus. These particular Varangians were known as Rus, just as some are called Swedes, and others Normans and Angles, and still others Gotlanders, for they were thus named. The Chuds, the Slavs, the Krivichs and the Veps then said to the Rus, "Our land is great and rich, but there is no order in it. Come reign as princes, rule over us". Three brothers, with their kinfolk, were selected. They brought with them all the Rus and migrated (The Primary Chronicle, 859-862).
    Last edited by The Blind King of Bohemia; 10-05-2006 at 00:25.

  3. #3

    Default Re: New 3d unit: Varangian Guard

    Actually I just looked it up, the Rus were a confederation of Slavic peoples that settled in Eastern Europe, and are the ancestors of modern-day Ukranians, Belarusians, and Russians.

    Maybe that's even the root of Belarus and Russia.

    MARMOREAM•RELINQUO•QUAM•LATERICIAM•ACCEPI

  4. #4
    Cheeky Bastage Member Hobot's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2003
    Location
    San Diego, CA
    Posts
    70

    Default Re: New 3d unit: Varangian Guard

    There are no maybes to it. This is how the Russian "nation" first came into existance. Although the "histories" of this time period are semi-mythological, it is clear that certain Scandinavian types who traded and travelled on the Volga river from the Baltic to the Black sea areas, eventually came to politically dominate the local population of utterly uncivilized and uncultured Slavs in the ninth century. Thus the first "Russians" came to emerge as an actual nation. First their kingdom came to be based in the Ukraine at Kiev. However, after infighting and trouble with steppe people that Kindgom eventually colapsed, but it's smaller brother principality centered around the trade city of Novgorod came to take their place as the Russian nation. With the arrival of the Mongols in the steppe areas of the Ukraine, the Russians were completely driven into the northern forests (areas where the Mongols had far more difficulty fighting) where they dwelt as a subject nation to the Golden Horde for about 200 years. This covers most of the period in MTW2. So in a long winded way -- the Rus were the founders of anything that today is referred to as Russian, since before their coming, the area was completely and utterly unimportant in the scope of world politics (and the root "rus" does indeed always refer back to these people).

    P.S. My Russian history class was over 5 years ago, if I screwed up some minor details, I apologize :)
    Every man dies, not every man really lives.

  5. #5
    Member Member Polemists's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    In the Lou
    Posts
    1,213

    Default Re: New 3d unit: Varangian Guard

    Also if you read historic backrounds

    There is currently a political marriage between Russia and Byzatinum Royalty so it makes perfect sense :)

    Actually at one point in time the King of Denmark was one of the body guards of the ruler of Byzantium, i'm sure the true historians can tell me who and when I don't member.

  6. #6
    Member Member paullus's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Location
    always in places where its HOT
    Posts
    11,904

    Default Re: New 3d unit: Varangian Guard

    No king of Denmark was a bodyguard for the Basileus, but there are two things you could be thinking of:
    1) Haraldr Hardrada, who did serve as an officer within the Guard before heading home to claim the throne at home and invade England (only to be defeated by Godwinson in 1066), but he wasn't a Dane.
    2) En route to the Holy Land on the (second?) Crusade, the king of Denmark (name slips me) visited with the emperor, who treated him far better than the other crusader kings, because he was the king of his bodyguards.
    "The mere statement of fact, though it may excite our interest, is of no benefit to us, but when the knowledge of the cause is added, then the study of history becomes fruitful." -Polybios


  7. #7
    Join the ICLADOLLABOJADALLA! Member IrishArmenian's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Writing the book, every day...
    Posts
    1,986

    Default Re: New 3d unit: Varangian Guard

    Rus literally means red or red haired. It is the namesake of RUSsia.
    Very good unit thoe.

    "Half of your brain is that of a ten year old and the other half is that of a ten year old that chainsmokes and drinks his liver dead!" --Hagop Beegan

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Single Sign On provided by vBSSO