[purpleraine]

I read a story a few years ago in National Geopgraphic (IIRC) about the Vikings coming down the rivers of Russia and showing up outside Istanbul in the harbor. The head whoever of the city came out in a ship with gold and coins and the Viking sailed off with the tribute money.

This story does not seem surprising.

[purpleraine]

http://www.arild-hauge.com/eraids.htm

[MichiganMan]

TI read a story a few years ago in National Geopgraphic (IIRC) about the Vikings coming down the rivers of Russia and showing up outside Istanbul in the harbor.

In the tenth century a group of them were actually incorporated into a royal guard by the emperor Basil II, as he (probably wisely) didn't trust the native military, and the Byzantines respected the Scandinavians' martial skills. They were called the Varanngian Guard. I want to say that "Varanngian" loosely meant "The sworn ones"... but I think its also the term the Byzantines used for the Norse in general.