I recently read about a very impressive battle between the middle-Comnenian Restoration period Byzantine Empire (first decades of the 12th century AD) and the Pechenegs who were raiding the thracian part of the Empire following an alliance with Kiev.
The battle which resulted, ending the campaign (and being the introduction to the larger Byzantine-Hungarian war that ended with a victory and the incorporation of Sirmium back to the Empire) was fought at Beroe (Βερόη, in 1122.
Beroe was the tombstone of the Pechenegs as independent peoples, for their utter defeat (the focal point leading to which was the Varangian guard slashing through the war-wagons and killing men and horses alike) resulted in most of them being resettled to Anatolia and used as a foreign tourma (a division of the thema, in the byzantine army of the period).
I would like to ask a few questions about that battle, fought with Emperor Ioannes II Komnenos' leading the charge of the Varangian guard.
1) What sort of axe did the guard use at that time? I read that it was the so-called "Danish axe", but that seems to be of various sizes. Mostly interested in how large the wooden part was, and also how thin the edge of the blade (i read it was as thin as 2 milimetres on its cutting edge).
2) Were the Varangian guards of the time almost entirely English? Following 1066, the conquest of England by William of Normandy, and the sail to the Byzantine Empire by the defeated soldiers and families, i read that a definite majority of the Pelekyphoros Phroura (Axe-bearing Guard) was indeed of English origin.
3) What sort of war-wagon did the pecheneg people use at the time? Any estimate on the numbers of their wagons? (or any other info about that defensive and mobile structure in the region and during the 12th century).
Thanks in advance
The battle which resulted, ending the campaign (and being the introduction to the larger Byzantine-Hungarian war that ended with a victory and the incorporation of Sirmium back to the Empire) was fought at Beroe (Βερόη, in 1122.
Beroe was the tombstone of the Pechenegs as independent peoples, for their utter defeat (the focal point leading to which was the Varangian guard slashing through the war-wagons and killing men and horses alike) resulted in most of them being resettled to Anatolia and used as a foreign tourma (a division of the thema, in the byzantine army of the period).
I would like to ask a few questions about that battle, fought with Emperor Ioannes II Komnenos' leading the charge of the Varangian guard.
1) What sort of axe did the guard use at that time? I read that it was the so-called "Danish axe", but that seems to be of various sizes. Mostly interested in how large the wooden part was, and also how thin the edge of the blade (i read it was as thin as 2 milimetres on its cutting edge).
2) Were the Varangian guards of the time almost entirely English? Following 1066, the conquest of England by William of Normandy, and the sail to the Byzantine Empire by the defeated soldiers and families, i read that a definite majority of the Pelekyphoros Phroura (Axe-bearing Guard) was indeed of English origin.
3) What sort of war-wagon did the pecheneg people use at the time? Any estimate on the numbers of their wagons? (or any other info about that defensive and mobile structure in the region and during the 12th century).
Thanks in advance