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What route did the Vikings take to get to Constantinople?
A medieval trade route extending from Scandinavia through Kyivan Rus’ to the Byzantine Empire, mentioned in chronicles as the route ‘from the Varangians to the Greeks. ‘ The trade route consisted of a series of waterways and portages covering nearly 3,000 km from the Baltic (‘Varangian’) Sea to the Black Sea.
Where is the Black Sea trade route?
As a port on the Ancient Silk road then and as a gateway to Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Asia nowadays, Trabzon constitutes “a junction of the routes that link central Asia and India over Persia to Mediterranean, leading to Europe through the straits and Aegean Sea, and to Eastern Europe and Russia by …
How did the Vikings get to the Black Sea?
The ships used by the Vikings were vitally important to their trading and enabled them to reach far-flung destinations. From the trading town of Birka and from Gotland they sailed across the Baltic, then along the East European and Russian rivers, reaching as far as the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea.
Did Vikings sail the Volga River?
The powerful Volga Bulgars (cousins of today’s Balkan Bulgarians) formed a seminomadic confederation and traded through the Volga river with Viking people of Rus’ and Scandinavia (Swedes, Danes, Norwegians) and with the southern Byzantine Empire (Eastern Roman Empire) Furthermore, Volga Bulgaria, with its two cities …
Did Vikings go to Byzantium?
The Varangian Guard fought in every major Byzantine campaign—from Sicily to the Holy Land—until Constantinople was captured by Crusaders in 1204. Visitors to one of the most famous sites in the city now known as Istanbul can see that the Vikings left their mark on Constantinople—literally.
Did Vikings work as mercenaries?
Vikings often made promising mercenaries, as long as a ruler had money to pay them, for Viking mercenaries did not discriminate in whom they attacked based on religion, ethnicity, or the motivation of their employer.
Why was the Black Sea important for trade?
The Black Sea is an important year-round transportation artery, linking the eastern European countries with world markets. Istanbul on the Sea of Marmara is Turkey’s main port, while the Danube acts as a huge trade artery for the Balkan countries.
Which rivers did the Vikings use?
To the east, the networks of the vast Dnieper and Volga rivers gave Scandinavians access to the heartlands of modern Russia and Ukraine. The shallow-draught boats that allowed the Norse to strike at the heart of Francia and Anglo-Saxon England were ideal for long-haul trips down these river systems.
Did Vikings fight Russia?
For four centuries, Vikings held sway over parts of Russia, Belarus and Ukraine, with the greatest expansion happening under Prince Oleg the Prophet. For four centuries, Vikings held sway over parts of Russia, Belarus and Ukraine, with the greatest expansion happening under Prince Oleg the Prophet.
When did the Vikings invade the Byzantine Empire?
In 988 AD, Byzantine Emperor, Basil II, formed the Varangian Guard, an army of Vikings to serve as his personal bodyguards. Being emperor of the Byzantine Roman Empire was not easy, assassinations were common, many times by the very soldiers whose job it was to protect the emperor.
Where did the Vikings settle in the Baltic Sea?
The Vikings settled coastal areas along the Baltic Sea, and along inland rivers in Russian territories such as Staraya Ladoga, Novgorod and along major waterways to the Byzantine Empire.
Why did the Vikings want to go to Constantinople?
The Vikings coveted Constantinople but could never breach its walls. Only by becoming the personal bodyguards of the Byzantine emperor did the Nordic warriors grab a piece of its wealth.
Where was the Volga River used as a trade route?
Nicholas Roerich: Through a Portage (1915) In the Middle Ages, the Volga trade route connected Northern Europe and Northwestern Russia with the Caspian Sea and the Sasanian Empire, via the Volga River. The Rus used this route to trade with Muslim countries on the southern shores of the Caspian Sea, sometimes penetrating as far as Baghdad.