What name did Vikings give to the Byzantine emperor’s elite Scandinavian guard?

The Byzantine emperor’s elite Scandinavian guard was called the Varangian Guard.

The guard served the emperors of the Byzantine Empire, particularly from the late tenth century onward. The Greek word Varangian referred to northern foreigners who had entered Byzantine service, and many early recruits came through the eastern European river routes used by Norse traders and warriors.

The Byzantine emperor Basil II formed the core of the famous guard in 988 after receiving about 6,000 warriors from Vladimir I of Kyiv. Later members came from Scandinavia and England, including English exiles who opposed the Norman conquest of 1066.

The Varangians gained a reputation for loyalty and heavy-axe fighting. They were palace guards, but emperors also deployed them in major campaigns. The group was not the same as the Jomsvikings, a semi-legendary warrior brotherhood associated with the southern Baltic.