Here is a song I wrote a while back in Late Old Swedish (yngre fornsvenska) about the Fall of Constantinople from the hypothetical perspective of a remaining group of Swedish Varangian guardsmen. I remade it to improve the sound quality as I recorded the first version on my phone.
The style/melody/rhythm of the song isn’t at all traditional, just my own vision of how it went down, with a shield-beating rhythm coupled with choral verse to express the range of emotion that must have been felt while fighting during the Fall of the Great City.
The line in Greek is part of Emperor Constantine XI's final speech to his men.
Just because people may have been confused last time about the premise of the song:
- I am aware that the Varangian Guard isn’t known to have been present at the fall of Constantinople in 1453.
- I am aware that even if they were, the later guard would likely have been primarily made up of Anglo-Saxons, not Swedes.
- I wrote this as the first Scandinavians to join the guard were Swedes, so it felt fitting to pay homage to them as the final Varangians.
- All that said, it isn’t entirely impossible that Swedes would have been there at the fall, as we know a great deal of foreigners were present, and there are Varangians still known to have been in service as late as 1404, so some Nords may still have been present!
- I find it a little sad that the Varangian Guard kind of drops out of history, so this is a quasi-hypothetical ending story for them. Conceivable or not, I hope you enjoy.
If you'd like to support my work, you can do so here: buymeacoffee.com/theskaldicbard. Thank you for your kindness.
Follow me on Spotify (The Skaldic Bard): open.spotify.com/artist/7E7Qq...
If you'd like to support my work, you can do so here: www.buymeacoffee.com/theskald.... Thank you for your kindness.
Lyrics:
Fiendener æro komner!
Hælwitiselder ræghner!
Iak wēt at bani ær nær,
men iak skal strīdha til ænda!
Mædh Gudhe ā wārre sīdho
kænnom wī ænga rædslo.
Wī hafwom fornan ēth ock
thæn skulom wī forfylghia.
Nū, Swēar, Wæringar!
Ēth hafwom wī swaran.
Wī frithom kæsaran
Ock hēla Miklagarth
Wī ærom wæriara
Miklagarths minnis æwærilds.
Wī frø̄gnom ey borghena
thō dø̄dhen brat take oss.
Mædh øxo i hændi wæriom wī borghena!
I Kirkiunne Storo
bāthom wī sizta sin.
Om ock fāer kwartstām
styrkter ærom af Gudhe.
Mehmed brȳter wæggena.
Turker springa til oresto.
Mædh wārom skioldom rēstom
hæptom wī thēra gang.
Nū, Swēar, Wæringar!
Kringhwærfin kæsarann!
Om ock wī dø̄iom idag,
wændom oss ock flȳiom ey.
Wī ærom wæriara
Miklagarths minnis æwærilds
Wī frø̄gnom ey borghena
Thō dø̄dhen brat take oss
Mædh øxo i hændi wæriom wī borghena
Kæsaren tōk til ordha
ock rōpadhe omata hø̄ght:
Αφού πέφτει η πόλη μου,
θα πέσω κι εγώ μαζί της!
Wurthom aller Wæringar
strithre wrethe upfylter.
Wārer forfæther sōro
samma ēth som wī uphollom
Nū, Swēar, Wæringar!
Hær mø̄tom wārom ænda.
Bithin Gudh miskuna
fyre oss ock borghinne.
Wī ærom wæriara
Miklagarths minnis æwærilds
Wī frø̄gnom ey borghena
Thō dø̄dhen brat take oss
Mædh øxo i hændi wæriom wī borghena
Wī wārom wæriara
Miklagarths minnis æwærilds
Wī frø̄gndom ey borghena
men dø̄dhen brat tōk oss
Mædh øxo i hændi wærdhom wī borghena.
Please do not redistribute my work without permission. Feel free to email me with any inquiries!