What Lars Brownworth has said about Varangian Guard
1 quote · 1 episode · Apr 9, 2026
Lars Brownworth, American historian, author of The Sea Wolves and The Normans, and creator of the 12 Byzantine Rulers podcast, has been quoted on Varangian Guard once in 1 episode of Lex Fridman Podcast, most recently on April 9, 2026. Each quote below is verbatim and links to the moment it was said.
In their words
Brownworth describes the Varangian Guard as loyal to the Byzantine throne rather than to individual emperors.
“They were famously loyal to the throne, but not necessarily to the person sitting on the throne”
Lex Fridman Podcast: #495 – Vikings, Ragnar, Berserkers, Valhalla & the Warriors of the Viking Age (Apr 9, 2026) · Listen from 1:28:02
Episodes
#495 – Vikings, Ragnar, Berserkers, Valhalla & the Warriors of the Viking AgeLex Fridman Podcast · Apr 9, 2026 · 2 h 10 min
Historian Lars Brownworth tells Lex Fridman about the Viking Age, from Lindisfarne and Ragnar Lothbrok to Normandy, Vinland, the Varangian Guard and the Byzantine Empire.
Lars Brownworth on other topics
- Viking Age · 5 quotes
- Byzantine Empire · 3 quotes
- 12 Byzantine Rulers · 2 quotes
- Ragnar Lothbrok · 2 quotes
- Great man theory · 1 quote
- Cnut the Great · 1 quote
- Norse colonization of North America · 1 quote
- Norse settlement of Greenland · 1 quote