Araltes [Harald], son of the king of the Varangians, had a brother Ioulavos [Olaf]. After his father's death the latter took the father's royal power, placing his brother Araltes second to him in authority. But he, being still a lad, determined to visit the most blessed Emperor Michael the Paphlagonian, to pay his respects and to see for himself what Roman life was like. He brought with him a company of five hundred men of good family. He arrived there, and the emperor received him with proper courtesy and dispatched him with his force to Sicily; for a Roman army was engaged there in battle for the island. Harald reached the island and accomplished great deeds of valour. On the subjugation of Sicily he returned with his army to the emperor, and he conferred on him the rank of manglavites. Thereafter the emperor found Delianos stirring up trouble in Bulgaria, and Harald, taking his company, joined forces with the emperor and accomplished great deeds against the foe, worthy of his birth and noble character. When he had put down the Bulgarians the emperor returned. (I too was there fighting for the emperor to the best of my power). When we came to the town of Mesinos the emperor rewarded him for what he had done in the fight, giving him the title of spatharokandidates. After the passing of the Emperor Michael and of his nephew who had succeeded him, Harald wished in the time of the Emperor Mono-machos to get royal permission to return to his own land, but it was not forthcoming. Indeed, the road out was obstructed. Yet he slipped away and took the throne in his own country in place of his brother Ioulavos. And he did not complain about the titles manglavites or spatharokandidates he had been honoured with; but instead, as king he showed good faith and brotherly love towards the Romans.

[Manglavites and spatharokandidates were originally positions of rank in the Byzantine emperor's life-guard but came to be used as honorific titles in the Byzantine court.]

Translated extract from Kekaumenos, Logos Nouthetitikos (late 11th c.) published in R. I. Page, Chronicles of the Vikings. Records, Memorials and Myths. London: British Museum, 1995, p. 104.