Part XIV
732 AD
Sven Olafson grinned as he took hold of the ship in front of him. Though nowhere near as large as the Britannian vessels that frequented Geatland (1) and the Fjords of the North (2) it would serve his purposes well enough. Almost a hundred feet long and equipped with an imitation Britannian style sailing rig the vessel provided ample room for him, his men, and their equipment as well as several mounts.
If all went according to plan, in the next few days Sven and his companions would make the journey that was becoming all too common in this day and age as faced with dwindling prospects in their homeland the Men of the North ventured east in search of land, power, and opportunity. According to all the tales that permeated back to their homelands, the Men of the North had found plenty of all three in the Eastern lands with much more to spare. These tales, strewn with battles, glory, and riches had been more than enough to goad not only Sven but scores more young Northerners to make the journey across the Baltic and down one of the myriad rivers into the vast plains of the East.
Tightening his belt Sven hefted the small bundle that comprised all of his remaining Earthly possessions and walked forward. Turning to his men he spoke “Only those who desire glory should board...”
(From “The Varangians of TL 16541” by Matthew Robinson)
...Appearing slightly earlier than the Viking Age present within the original timeline, the Varangian Period of TL 16541 is interesting in that its eastern focus resulted in the formation of a myriad of relatively stable nation states that had a profound influence upon the course of European History...
...Many of the causes of TL 16541’s “Varangian Migration” correspond at least at a surface level to those behind the original timeline’s Viking Age...
...However delving deeper one can see that these Varangian Migrations are quite unique to TL 16541...
...Perhaps the biggest factor behind these migrations is that of Britannian Interference in the affairs of Dark Age Scandinavia. Initially isolated from the continent, the Empire of Britannia gradually over the course of several centuries came to rely more and more on Scandinavia as a market for their goods. This trade relationship was further bolstered by the Britannian adoption of a junk sailing rig in the 7th century AD. Though this invention would revolutionize sailing in Europe it would also lead to even more trade crossing the North Atlantic between Britannia and Scandinavia...
...Eventually trade relationships became more as Britannia began to have more and more sway upon the internal politics of Scandinavia. Small fratricidal wars between villages that amounted to very little in the Original timeline were interfered with by the Britannians resulting in several bloody wars and over the course of half a century the emergence of a degree of political stratification...
...This political stratification embodied in the formation of the various Fjord Kingdoms in Norway, Jutland, and Geatland would provide the biggest impetus for the Varangian migrations as population began to grow and opportunities became scarce in Scandinavia...
...Britannian dominance of the North Atlantic would also cause any would be Vikings to think twice about challenging “Britannia’s Wooden Walls” turning them away from western Expansion and towards the power vacuum that existed in Eastern Europe...
...Crossing the Baltic on their infamous long ships these Varangians arrived in Eastern Europe and immediately began to challenge the local status quo...
...Though much of Eastern Europe was theoretically under control of the Hunnic Exarchate of the East by the time of the Varangian Migrations power had long since devolved to local levels with the Exarchate becoming all but irrelevant...
...Though portrayed in several histories of TL 16541 as hostile takeovers evidence points to the Varangian migrations being decidedly more nuanced as many of these Nordic arrivals chose to integrate themselves into existing political struggles more often than not as mercenaries...
...Only after several generations does it become obvious that the Varangians used their military power (acquired through legitimate control of military force) to make themselves heads of their respective kingdoms thus propagating Eastern Europe with nearly a dozen “Varangian States”...
...These states would proceed to dominate North Eastern Europe and provide the rest of Europe with an effective barrier against potential invasions by Central Asian Nomads thus allowing Europe to develop unhindered and in a fashion unique to any yet found in the multiverse...
Footnotes
1:Norway
2: Eastern Denmark + Southern Sweden