The Prince of Kiev who struck a deal with Basil II — providing 6,000 Varangian soldiers in exchange for the hand of Basil's sister Anna and his own conversion to Orthodoxy. Brownworth notes that Vladimir already had four wives and 800 concubines and was notorious for philandering, making Anna's reluctance understandable, but the Varangians arrived and proved decisive in crushing Bardas Phokas' rebellion.
Also known as: Vladimir the Great · Prince of Kiev
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Episode 13 (146 mentions)
The Prince of Kiev who struck a deal with Basil II — providing 6,000 Varangian soldiers in exchange for the hand of Basil's sister Anna and his own conversion to Orthodoxy. Brownworth notes that Vladimir already had four wives and 800 concubines and was notorious for philandering, making Anna's reluctance understandable, but the Varangians arrived and proved decisive in crushing Bardas Phokas' rebellion.
“property, and even stripping the great monastery he had built of all its possessions.”
“The army was to be an extension of Basil himself, like a flow of molten lava, slow, relentless,”
“His army numbered 40,000 and had to travel 600 miles, a journey of at least three months.”