English exiles: the Varangian story
Not all the English were quite so sanguine. There were some for whom collaboration was not an option. Some fled to Scotland to join Edgar Aetheling, the Bonnie Prince Charlie of his age, but even he was eventually forced to come to terms with William after a series of disastrous attempts against the Normans, and spent his final years in exile in Norman Italy. Others fled to Denmark, amongst whom was one Aelnoth of Canterbury who wrote a biography of King Cnut the Holy, Swegn's son, which vilifies the Normans for their conquest of England. Yet the most colourful group is a band of Englishmen led by a thegn called Siward who decided to sell up their land and sail to Byzantium to join the Varangian Guard. Their story, told in an Icelandic saga, neatly sums up the English experience of the Norman Conquest.
After an epic voyage, their fleet of 350 ships arrived at Byzantium to find its capital, Constantinople, besieged by the Turks. Having driven the Turks away, they were offered land and positions in the Varangian Guard by the grateful Byzantine Emperor. Many took up the offer of the land, but others leapt at the chance to join the Varangian Guard when they heard that the Normans had invaded Byzantium and were besieging the city of Durazzo (Durres in Albania).
'...the English clashed with the Normans...'
The Imperial army marched out to meet them, led by the Varangians, eager to get into the fight. Their story is told by Anna Comnena, daughter of the Emperor who kept a chronicle of the events in her life. On the 18th October 1081, the English clashed with the Normans. Anna Comnena says that the men from 'Thule' (as the Byzantines called Britain) were quite as warlike as the Normans and even braver. This was the problem. In their eagerness to get at the enemy, they broke formation and charged ahead of the rest of the army. Tired and out of breath when they reached the Norman line, they were hacked to pieces. So ended the great exodus; from one ignominious defeat at the hands of the Normans to another.
Published: 2001-05-01
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