Miklagard (The Great City)
Byzantium-Constantinople-Istanbul

Huge city walls facing the land and sea met the Vikings when they sailed in to Constantinople mooring at the harbour in the Golden Horn. The city was the largest the Vikings knew of and it is not so strange that the Vikings referred to the city as Miklagard (The Great City).

The great wealth of the city soon made it a tempting prey for the Northerners, though because of the size of the city the Vikings quickly decided to go into the service of the emperor. He established his own Viking-guard known as the Varangians. The best known commander of this guard was Harald Hardrada .

- 14. august 2004 -