Manglabites
Introduction The '''Manglabites''' or '''Manglavites''' (, ''manglabitai''; sing. μαγγλαβίτης, ''manglabitēs'') were a corps of bodyguards in the Byzantine Empire.
Etymology Their name derives from the term ''manglabion'' (μαγγλάβιον, "cudgel") which was also used to designate the entire corps. The origin of the term itself is debated: one theory regards it as deriving from Arabic ''mijlab'' ("whip"), while another from Latin ''manus'' ("hand") and ''clava'' ("cudgel").
History The ''manglabitai'' first appear in the 9th century, when, along with the imperial ''Hetaireia'', they were responsible for the personal safety of the emperor. Armed with swords, the ''manglabitai'' preceded him in ceremonies and were responsible for the unlocking of certain gates of the imperial palace, the Great Palace of Constantinople, every morning.
Structure An individual ''manglabitēs'' was of relatively lowly origin and status, often even illiterate. However, their commander, known as ''prōtomanglabitēs'' (πρωτομαγγλαβίτης, "first ''manglabitēs''") or ''epi tou manglabiou'' (, "in charge of the ''manglabion''"), ranked high in the imperial hierarchy due to his proximity to the emperor. The ''manglabitai'' as an imperial bodyguard appear to have disappeared by the late 11th century, but there is sigillographic evidence for "''manglabitai'' of the Great Church" (i.e. the Patriarchate of Constantinople) from the 11th through the 13th centuries.
Notable members The perhaps most famous ''manglabitēs'' was the Norwegian king Harald Hardrada, who received the title in recognition of his services in the Varangian Guard in the 1030s.
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