Editing Varangian

{{Era|ACR}}
{{WP-REAL|Varangian Guard}}
[[File:Guard-varangian-ACR.png|right|180px|thumb|A Varangian]]
The '''Varangians''' (Old Norse: ''Væringjar'', Greek: ''Varangoi'') were [[guards]] stationed in [[Constantinople]] and [[Derinkuyu]]. They were the [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantine]] equivalent of [[Italy|Italian]] [[Seekers]], and fought with [[Long weapons|halberds and spears]].

Varangians also wielded [[Firearms|pistols]] once they were disarmed in combat, or when the [[Assassins|Assassin]] [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze]] fled to an inaccessible position.

==Trivia==
*Historically, the Varangians hailed from Scandinavia, parts of Medieval [[Russia]], and [[United Kingdom|England]], and consisted primarily of Norse and Anglo-Saxon recruits. From the 9th to 14th century, they served as the personal guard of the Byzantine Emperor, functioning similarly to the personal guard of the [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] Sultan, the [[Janissaries]].
**Their name comes from Old Norse compound ''væringi'', from ''vár'' "pledge" and ''gengi'' "companion", i.e. "a sworn person" or "a foreigner who has taken service with a new lord by a treaty of fealty to him, or protégé."
*Historically the Varangians were famous for wielding axes, and actually more resemble the in-game [[Almogavars]], and vice-versa.
**In the artbook of ''[[Assassin's Creed: Revelations]]'', concept art of the Varangians showed that they were supposed to wield one-handed swords.
*Looting or stealing from Varangians would give Ezio [[Smoke screen bombs|smoke screen]] or [[smoke decoy bombs]] should his tactical or diversionary pouches be empty.

==Gallery==
<gallery captionalign="center" position="center" widths="180">
The Varangians art.jpg|Concept artwork for the Varangian guard archetype
662 large.jpg|Developmental artwork of a Varangian guard character model
</gallery>

==Reference==
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Revelations]]''
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[[Category:Guards]]