Anglo-Saxon/English or "Norse" dynasty in Byzantine Empire

We all know the famous Varegian Guard of the Byzantine Emporers, which consisted of men from Norse and Anglo-Saxon background. What if some of this guardsmen becoming ambitious, adopt Orthodox-Christianity, gaining influence by trade and offical positions and eventually seek for the Byzantine throne ? Or later an English dynasty through marriage wwould be interesting, too.
 
Well, Harald Hardrada would be the obvious one, though his major aim was to get back home and make himself King. Then there were the people involved in the Norwegian Crusade - Eystein or Sigurd might have stayed on and tried to get themselves elevated, but considering the Komnenoi were in charge at this point, I'd doubt that would work. Edgar the AEtheling was in Constantinople for a while as well during this period. All of these people would have to overcome being regarded as militaristic, barbarians and, more importantly, not having an entrenched base of support within the Empire minus the Varangian Guard. Even the Armenians and other marginal people who became Emperor for more than about five years had people of their country in positions at court, or had grown up elsewhere, or were wealthy landowners, or had familial connections. A dynasty is pretty much out of the question for the leader of a military coup without Imperial connections.

Another fun option would be substantially later, when Manuel II visited England under Henry IV. Perhaps a marriage could be negotiated in return for an Army to wrest a bit of Anatolia back, or something.
 
We all know the famous Varegian Guard of the Byzantine Emporers, which consisted of men from Norse and Anglo-Saxon background. What if some of this guardsmen becoming ambitious, adopt Orthodox-Christianity, gaining influence by trade and offical positions and eventually seek for the Byzantine throne ? Or later an English dynasty through marriage wwould be interesting, too.

In OTL the closest we can get to this scenario is Zeno the Isaurian.
But the Isaurians had been living inside the Roman Empire about five hundred years and they had been Orthodox Christians since the very beginning for centuries. And even that did not make these people too "Roman" by the "true Romans" - the Isaurian army detachments got occasionally slaughtered by the Roman mobs and other imperial troops and things like that.

So if you want a Norse/Anglo-Saxon guy repeat the success of Zeno the Isaurian... first thing - make the group of the Norse settle inside the Roman Empire, adopt Orthodox Christianity and live there for 500 years or so. And then let this guy try to pull Zeno the Isaurian.
...and ye, pray hard for him not get killed and dethroned in the process for his un-Romanity.

You see, the reason for these Norse and Anglo-Saxon guys got hired as the Emperor's guard was not only their exceptional martial qualities. The other reason for bringing guys from a thousand miles distance was - any one of them had zero chance to dream of the imperial purple no matter what, and they never worried about supporting their tribesman to reach the throne, as they did not have any to support. Which made an emperor feeling somewhat more comfortable having them around.
 
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In OTL the closest we can get to this scenario is Zeno the Isaurian.
But the Isaurians had been living inside the Roman Empire about five hundred years and they had been Orthodox Christians since the very beginning for centuries. And even that did not make these people too "Roman" by the "true Romans" - the Isaurian army detachments got occasionally slaughtered by the Roman mobs and other imperial troops and things like that.

So if you want a Norse/Anglo-Saxon guy repeat the success of Zeno the Isaurian... first thing - make the group of the Norse settle inside the Roman Empire, adopt Orthodox Christianity and live there for 500 years or so. And then let this guy try to pull Zeno the Isaurian.
...and ye, pray hard for him not get killed and dethroned in the process for his un-Romanity.

You see, the reason for these Norse and Anglo-Saxon guys got hired as the Emperor's guard was not only their exceptional martial qualities. The other reason for bringing guys from a thousand miles distance was - any one of them had zero chance to dream of the imperial purple no matter what, and they never worried about supporting their tribesman to reach the throne, as they did not have any to support. Which made an emperor feeling somewhat more comfortable having them around.
Yep. This. Very good analysis, from both directions.
 
Perhaps a wily Anglo-Saxon or Nordic leader could use his 'otherness' to his own advantage. Since he is seen as an alien, he would not be associated with any of the entrenched factions at Court. If there was a period of great divide, said hypothetical ruler could convert to the Orthodox faith and be seen as a compromise candidate of sorts. His alieness might also be considered a boon by the different factions as they would assume he would be unable to draw on any outside base of power and, as such, would have to rely on them for his rule.

Not sure exactly how to get a situation where the court is so divided as to attempt such a thing, but I think its the most reasonable way to get a Nordic of Saxon dynasty short of conquest of Constantinople.
 
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