Basil II then had to foil another coup, this time involving his disloyal and corrupt chamberlain, which attempted to make Bardas Phokas, an aristocratic clan leader, emperor. This was not apparent at the beginning of his long reign. Everyone was fleeing, and some people did get bombed, lots of boats were sunk.” Larry had a wife, Nancy, and one-year-old child Penelope, not portrayed in the series. These qualities, along with his dour nature, abruptness, and quick temper, combined with a complete lack of trust in anyone, unsurprisingly, did not foster much love and admiration from his subjects. By allying with the Phokas family (John I had murdered Nikephoros II Phokas), Skleros was defeated and forced into exile. What happened when World War II started? Basil II in Triumphby Unknown Artist (Public Domain). Basil II (976–1025 as recorded on the Bible Timeline with World History) was the son of the Byzantine Emperor Romanos II and his wife, Theophano. Our latest articles delivered to your inbox, once a week: Numerous educational institutions recommend us, including Oxford University and Michigan State University and University of Missouri. Basil II He could turn out to be really mediocre, like Henry VI and Edward II of England. Known mainly for the wars that he led to prote… With all of his conquests, in Greece, the Balkans, Syria, Mesopotamia, Italy, and Bulgaria, he doubled the size of the Byzantine Empire. Thus, in spite of his costly wars, Basil left a full treasury, some of it stored in specially constructed underground chambers. After some limited resistance led by Samuel’s sons, ultimately, the Bulgar lands were incorporated into the blossoming Byzantine Empire, and Basil marched victorious into Serdica in 1018 CE. His indomitable and forceful personality and his shrewd statesmanship were offset by the inherent weakness of an imperial autocracy that depended so much on the character of the ruler. Former Bulgaria became a part of Byzantium. Basil’s first and worst military expedition was in August 986 CE when he suffered a resounding loss to the forces of Samuel of Bulgaria (r. 976-1014 CE) in a narrow Bulgarian mountain pass known as Trajan’s Gate. From 986 until 1014 there was warfare between Byzantium and Bulgaria, interrupted from time to time by Basil II’s intermittent expeditions to settle crises on the eastern front. Basil II (aka Basilius II) was the emperor of the Byzantine Empire from 976 to 1025 CE. Updates? The emperor’s army of 60,000 had already suffered an ignominious episode in their failed siege of the Bulgar capital Serdica (Sofia) but now it was wiped out, the colours lost, and Basil forced to flee back to Constantinople. My love of Basil II makes his part 2 fight with the duo a long and thrilling fight. After their father’s death in 963, the government was effectively undertaken by the senior military emperors, first by Nicephorus II Phocas, their stepfather, and then by John I Tzimisces. The 24-carat halcyon days of Basil II would, alas, never be repeated. Basil II. He received a thorough education at Nicomedia in Bithynia, northwest Asia Minor, possibly under the tutorship of the famed rhetorician from Antioch, Libanius (d. c. 393 CE) who was, curiously enough, a staunch defender of paganism. St. How many years did it take the Ottomans to completely breach through the walls of Constantinople? Tiberius (Tiberius Julius Caesar Augustus, 16 November 42 BC – 16 March 37 AD) was the second Roman Emperor.He ruled from 14 to 37 AD. The surviving source materials mean that we know more about Byzantine contacts with Germany than with any other western power during Basil's reign. Ancient History Encyclopedia. When Tzimiskes died of illness in 976 CE, Basil took his rightful place on the throne of the Byzantine Empire. Asian rebellions and alliance with Rus' Basil was a brave soldier and a superb horseman; he was to prove himself a strong ruler and an able general. He was 75. Catherine Holmes, Basil II and the governance of Empire (976-1025) (New York: Oxford University Press, 2005). Al-Hakim was thirty-six years old at the time of his mysterious disappearance. had a stroke when the Bulgars lost the war. His final resting place carried the following inscription: From the day that the King of Heaven called upon me to become the Emperor, the great overlord of the world, no one saw my spear lie idle. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms. However, its main purpose was to explain when and how Basil received the sobriquet of "Bulgar-Slayer", and how that legend about Basil has been used. In 1014 CE Basil finally won a great and decisive victory against the Bulgars at, appropriately enough, another mountain pass, this time at Kleidion in the Belasica Mountains. The once-great empire’s fortunes would wain, with none more tangible and symbolic an indicator than the ever-dwindling gold content of Byzantine coins. Certain Russian soldiers remained in Basil II’s service, forming the famous imperial Varangian guard. Basil II died on 1025-12-15. 1,100 years. Herpo the Foul was the first to breed a Basilisk; he accomplished this by hatching a chicken egg beneath a toad which resulted in the creature known as a Basilisk.3 Basilisk breeding was banned in Medieval times. Finally, when John died on January 10, 976, Basil II took the throne as senior emperor. However, he never found the time to … the egyptians were very smart. Both these groups were expanding their landed interests at the expense of the poorer peasantry, either by purchase or conquest. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. Both parties honoured their promise, useful as they were to each other as allies. anon58261 December 31, 2009 . The unpleasant memory of Trajan’s Gate was finally erased. Following his discharge, he turned to acting in 1919, but it wasn't until ten years later that he achieved a breakthrough in Noël Coward 's 'This was a Man' on Broadway. Cardinal Basil Hume, Archbishop of Westminster since February, 1976, who has died aged 76, was the first Benedictine monk to hold this post since the restoration of … The Penn Museum, notably in the group some information about that period a attack! Fruition, though, Basil ’ s main focus, though, Basil left full! Possible that Otto III and Zoe could have had several children while Basil II ascended to power gradually, Byzantines. 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