【简译】瓦兰吉卫队（Varangian Guard）

2022-10-26 20:37 作者:神尾智代 0人读过 | 我要投稿

The mercenary Varangian Guard was an elite Byzantine army corps and the personal bodyguard of emperors beginning with Basil II in c. 988 CE. The Viking unit was famous for the stature of its members and their blood-thirsty conduct in battle, where they used their fearsome double-bladed battle-axes to devastating effect. Celebrated recruits include Harald Hardrada, who went on to become the king of Norway, and the Icelandic hero Bolli Bollason. Later, after the 1066 CE Battle of Hastings in England, especially, they became a largely Anglo-Saxon unit. By the beginning of the 14th century CE they had outlasted their usefulness but, for a few centuries at least, the Varangians were probably as shocking a sight to Byzantine enemies as tanks would have been to WWI infantry.

瓦兰吉卫队是拜占庭军队中的一支精锐雇佣兵团，也是巴西尔二世（约 988 年）的私人卫队。这支维京人部队因其成员的身材和他们在战斗中的嗜血行为而闻名，他们用可怕的双刃战斧造成了毁灭性的影响。其成员包括成为挪威国王的哈拉尔三世和冰岛英雄博莉·博拉松。后来，特别是在公元1066年英格兰黑斯廷斯战役之后，他们主要成为一支盎格鲁-撒克逊人的部队。该部队一直存在到 14 世纪初，几个世纪以来，瓦兰吉人对拜占庭的敌人来说就像坦克对第一次世界大战中的步兵一样具有威慑性。

巴西尔二世

Basil II reigned as emperor from 976 to 1025 CE, and despite a hugely successful military career which saw the Byzantine empire almost double its territories, he got off to the worst possible start when his army was wiped out in an ambush by Samuel of Bulgaria at a mountain pass known as Trajan's Gate. The defeat encouraged a rebellion back home when two long-time trouble-makers each sought to take the throne from Basil. One of them, Bardas Phokas, even declared himself emperor in 987 CE. Basil, fortunately, could call on the help of Vladimir I of Kiev (r. 980-1015 CE), who obligingly sent a force of 6,000 Rus Vikings to help the young emperor. They would make all the difference in Basil's ambitious plans to forge an even greater Byzantine empire than ever seen before.

巴西尔二世从公元976年到1025年在位，尽管他的军事生涯取得了巨大的成功，使拜占庭帝国的领土几乎翻了一番，但它以最糟糕的方式开始，当时他的军队在保加利亚塞缪尔的伏击中被歼灭。这次失败激起了国内的叛乱，两个长期的麻烦制造者都想从巴西尔手中夺取王位。其中一位名叫巴尔达斯·福卡斯（Bardas Focas）甚至在 987 年宣布自己为皇帝。幸运的是，巴西尔可以寻求基辅的弗拉基米尔一世（Vladimir I of Kiev，公元980-1015年）的帮助，罗斯的弗拉基米尔慷慨地派出了一支由6000名维京人组成的部队来帮助这位年轻的皇帝。他们将改变巴西尔雄心勃勃的扩张拜占庭帝国的计划，甚至比以往任何时候都更伟大。

In return for his 6,000 Norsemen and indicative of their value, Basil offered Vladimir his sister's hand in marriage - an unprecedented step for an emperor to offer a royal person to a barbarian leader - provided he agreed to convert to Christianity. This Vladimir agreed to, indeed he went a whole lot further and for his dedicated sponsorship of the faith throughout his reign he eventually became a saint.

为了感谢他的6000名北欧士兵，巴西尔把他的妹妹嫁给弗拉基米尔——对于一个皇帝来说，与野蛮人领袖联姻是史无前例的一步——只要他同意皈依基督教。弗拉基米尔同意了，事实上他走得更远，因为他在统治期间坚定地捍卫信仰，他被封为圣徒。

The Viking force arrived in Constantinople by sea, and they were a fearsome sight with their long heavy swords and wicked double-headed battle-axes. Basil, after waiting patiently for a year and blockading the rebels, finally made his move and attacked the usurpers' camp. The historian J. J. Norwich continues the story,

In late December 988 the Black Sea lookouts espied the first of a great fleet of Viking ships on the northern horizon; early in 989 CE the whole of the fleet was safely anchored in the Golden Horn and 6,000 burly giants disembarked. A few weeks later, the Norsemen, led by Basil himself, crossed the straits under cover of darkness and took up their positions a few hundred yards from the rebel camp. At first light they attacked, while a squadron of imperial flame-throwers sprayed the shore with Greek fire. Phocas' men, roused from sleep, were powerless: their assailants swung their swords and battle-axes without mercy until they stood ankle-deep in blood. Few of the victims escaped with their lives. (209)

维京人的部队通过海路抵达君士坦丁堡，他们带着长长的重剑和邪恶的双头斧头，让人望而生畏。巴西尔在耐心等待了一年并封锁了叛军之后，终于有所行动，他袭击了篡位者的营地。历史学家约翰·朱利叶斯·诺威奇继续讲述了这个故事：

公元988年12月底，黑海的瞭望员在北方的地平线上发现了第一支维京人的大舰队；公元989年初，整个舰队安全地停泊在金角湾，6000名魁梧的巨人下了船。几周后，由巴西尔亲自率领的北欧人在黑暗的掩护下越过海峡，在离叛军营地几百码的地方摆开阵势。他们在黎明时分发动攻击，同时一队帝国弓箭手发射燃烧箭，使用“希腊火”攻击海岸。福卡斯的手下从睡梦中惊醒，却无能为力。攻击者毫不留情地挥舞着剑和斧头，将战场变成了血腥地狱，很少有人能逃过一劫。(209)

Basil restored order by 989 CE and was so impressed by the exploits of his new Viking army that he made them, first the elite shock troops of his army, and then, his personal bodyguard. The Viking corps became known as the Varangian Guard (“men of the pledge”) and, besides being a tremendously useful unit on the battlefield, they protected many subsequent emperors to the death, much like the elite unit which protected the Roman emperors, the Praetorian Guard. The Varangians were stationed as a distinctive and permanent fixture of the Great Palace of Constantinople. Their arms are described by the 11th-century CE historian Michael Psellos, thus:

These men are, without exception, armed with shields and the rhomphaia, a one-edged sword of heavy iron which they carry suspended from the right shoulder. (359)

巴西尔在公元989年恢复了帝国秩序，他对维京人军队的功绩印象深刻，因此他首先让其成为军队的精锐突击部队，然后是他的私人警卫。维京人军团被称为瓦兰吉卫队（“誓约之人”），他们在战场上是一支极具价值的部队，还为后来的许多皇帝提供了关键保护。他们与禁卫军一起成为皇帝的禁卫军守卫。瓦兰吉军团一直驻扎在君士坦丁堡大皇宫，作为其独特的元素存在。公元11世纪的历史学家米海尔·普塞洛斯（Michael Psellos）这样描述他们的武器：

这些人无一例外地配备了盾牌和长柄逆刃刀，这一种沉重的铁制单刃剑，他们把它挂靠在右肩上。(359)

The Varangians were certainly effective and dutiful in their responsibility to protect the Byzantine throne, whoever its occupant might be, but the service did not come cheap. One peculiar tradition for services rendered is described by the historian L. Brownworth:

On the night of their sovereign's death, they had the curious right to run to the imperial treasury and take as much gold as they could comfortably carry. This custom enabled most Varangians to retire as wealthy men and ensured a steady stream of Norse and Anglo-Saxon recruits. (212)

瓦兰吉人确实有效地履行了保护拜占庭王位的责任，无论王位的占有者是谁，但这种服务并不便宜。历史学家拉尔斯·布朗沃思描述了一个特殊的奖励服务传统：

在君主死后的那个晚上，他们有特殊的权利进入帝国国库，并尽可能多地拿走他们能携带的黄金。这种习俗使大多数瓦兰吉人能够以富人的身份退休，并确保挪威和盎格鲁-撒克逊新兵永久供应。212)

著名的瓦兰吉军团成员

One of the most famous warriors and leaders of the Varangians was Harald Hardrada who spent a decade in the service of his emperor. Besides many other adventures, he and his fellow Varangians fought alongside the great Byzantine general George Maniakes in Sicily in 1038 CE, capturing both Messina and Syracuse. Exiled under suspicion of plotting an uprising in 1042 CE, Harald fled to Kiev and then returned to Norway where he reigned as King Harald III between 1046 and 1066 CE. Harald, championing his own claim to the English throne, fought and died at the battle of Stamford Bridge in 1066 CE against his namesake, the English king Harold Godwinson.

最著名的瓦兰吉战士和领袖之一是哈拉尔德·哈德拉达，他为他的皇帝服务了十年。除了许多其他的冒险之外，他和他的瓦兰吉同胞于公元1038年在西西里岛与伟大的拜占庭将军豪尔赫·马尼亚斯并肩作战，征服了墨西拿和锡拉丘兹。公元1042年，哈拉尔德因被怀疑策划叛乱而被流放，他逃到基辅，然后返回挪威，在公元1046年至1066年期间以哈拉尔德三世的身份在位。哈拉尔德为争取英格兰王位，在公元1066年的斯坦福桥战役中与同名的英国国王哈罗德·戈德温森交战，战死。

Another illustrious one-time member of the Varangian Guard was the 11th-century CE figure of Bolli Bollason. According to the Laxdaela Saga, Bolli, like his fellow Varangians, was paid handsomely for his troubles and came home to Iceland dressed in such fine gold-embroidered purple robes he earned the nickname of “Bolli the Elegant”.

瓦兰吉卫队的另一位著名成员是博利·博拉松（11 世纪）。根据《拉克斯谷人传》，博利和他的瓦兰吉亚同伴一样，因其努力而获得了丰厚的报酬，并在回到冰岛的时候穿上了精美的绣金紫袍，赢得了“优雅的博利”的绰号。

Following the defeat of the Anglo-Saxons at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 CE, many soldiers travelled to Constantinople to seek a better fortune. More northern mercenaries came from Iceland, Norway and other parts of Scandinavia, attracted by the exploits of men like Harald and Bolli. Byzantine emperors were only too happy to incorporate these travellers into the Varangian Guard although, by the 13th century CE, the majority of its members were English and the Guard used their own language when they acclaimed their adopted ruler.

诺曼军队在公元1066年黑斯廷斯战役中击败盎格鲁-撒克逊人后，许多士兵前往君士坦丁堡寻求更丰厚的财富，还有来自冰岛、挪威和斯堪的纳维亚其他地区的北欧雇佣军，他们被哈拉尔德和博利等人的功绩所吸引。拜占庭皇帝很乐意将他们并入瓦兰吉卫队，尽管到了公元13世纪，大多数成员都是来自英格兰的士兵，而且卫队使用自己的语言来赞美其统治者。

从 11 世纪开始，来自西欧的凶猛战士开始与斯堪的纳维亚人和俄罗斯人一起在瓦兰吉卫队服役。加入精英部队的有盎格鲁撒克逊人、法兰克人和德国人。

衰落

The Varangians might have enjoyed a fearsome reputation, but they were not infallible. In 1081 CE, for example, when Alexios I Komnenos was defending Dyrrachion in Dalmatia, he positioned his Varangian troops at the front of his lines, but they were nearly annihilated by an enemy cavalry charge. They did not prove much use in 1204 CE either when knights of the Fourth Crusade attacked Constantinople, although their reason for fleeing the scene might well have been due to their lack of payment. These defeats as warfare and technology moved on may explain why the Varangians became mere palace guards and prison guards from the mid-13th century CE.

瓦兰吉人可能享有令人生畏的声誉，但他们并不是无懈可击的。例如，在公元1081年，当阿莱克修斯一世·科穆宁在达尔马提亚的迪拉希恩进行防守时，他将瓦兰吉部队安排在防线的最前面，但他们几乎被敌人的骑兵冲锋歼灭。公元1204年，当第四次十字军东征的骑士们进攻君士坦丁堡时，他们也没有发挥什么作用，尽管他们逃离现场的原因很可能是由于他们没有得到报酬。随着战争和技术的发展，这些失败可能解释了为什么从公元13世纪中期开始，瓦兰吉人就变成了单纯的宫殿卫兵和监狱看守。

A reference to English axe-bearing guards at the Byzantine palace springs up in the work of chronicler Adam of Usk in 1404 CE, but thereafter the Varangians disappear from the historical record. A lasting effect of their presence in Byzantine affairs was the influence of that culture on the guard's homelands, for when they returned after their years of service laden with riches they also carried with them ideas of art and architecture. Finally, there are many rune stones still standing today across Scandinavia which were set up and carved to commemorate the great martial deeds of illustrious members of the Varangian Guard.

公元1404年，在编年史家厄斯基的亚当（Adam of Usk）的作品中提到了拜占庭宫殿中的英格兰持斧卫兵，但此后瓦兰吉人就从历史记录中消失了。他们在拜占庭帝国存在的一个持久影响是这种文化对他们祖国的影响，因为当他们返回家乡时，不仅带来了财富，还带来了他们对艺术和建筑的理念。最后，今天在斯堪的纳维亚半岛上仍有许多符文石，它们是为了纪念瓦兰吉卫队杰出成员的伟大事迹而雕刻与建立的。