Emperors and vassals
Sverrir Jakobsson
Abstract In 1196 three messengers were sent by the Byzantine emperor Alexios III to monarchs of Norway, Denmark and Sweden, request military assistance. this article, an attempt is made place in a historical context, determine what intentions how kings Sweden would have interpreted it on their part. The mission examined context journeys Scandinavian dignitaries Constantinople twelfth century. An important feature all these descriptions continued presence soldiers service Emperor, Varangian Guard. Varangians are portrayed as countrymen natural allies new arrivals. It argued that, although medieval Byzantium did not formal institution such vassalage, certainly regarded his oath-bound “liegemen”, that part established trend.
Byzantinische Zeitschrift