Basil II

• 1. Imperial Ascension And Youth

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  Basil II was born in 958, a child of the purple. His father Romanos II died on the 15th of March 963 at just 24 years old. The throne passed to two generals, Nikephoros Phokas and John Tzimiskes, while Basil remained too young to rule. His great-uncle Basil Lekapenos held de facto power until 985. The Senate confirmed Basil and his brother Constantine as emperors, but real authority lay elsewhere. A rumor circulated that Theophano, Basil's mother, had poisoned her husband with hemlock. This suspicion cast a long shadow over the early years of Basil's reign.

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• 2. Anatolian Rebellions Suppressed

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  In 979, Bardas Skleros launched an open rebellion against Basil's authority. Two years later, Bardas Phokas followed suit, threatening to depose the emperor entirely. Basil took to the field himself, proving he was not merely a figurehead. He suppressed both rebellions by 989 with the help of 12,000 Georgians led by Tornikios and David III Kuropalates of Tao. The fall of Lekapenos occurred between these rebellions in 985; he was accused of plotting with the rebels and punished with exile. When Phokas died in battle, Skleros assumed leadership before surrendering to Basil in 989. Skleros lived on but died blind, either from disease or punishment for insurrection.

• 3. Byzantine Fatimid Wars

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  A seven-year truce with the Fatimid Caliphate existed from 987 to 994. In 993, Manjutakin invaded Aleppo and laid siege to the city after defeating Michael Bourtzes. Basil arrived in April 995 within sixteen days of riding through Asia Minor. His sudden appearance caused panic in the Fatimid camp because Manjutakin had ordered his cavalry horses dispersed for pasture. Despite having a larger army, Manjutakin burned his camp and retreated to Damascus without fighting. A ten-year truce concluded in 1000 ended hostilities until al-Hakim's death in 1021. Relations remained peaceful even when Abu Muhammad Lu'lu' al-Kabir acknowledged Fatimid suzerainty in 1004.

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• 4. Bulgarian Empire Conquest

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  Samuel of Bulgaria became Basil's greatest adversary during the early second millennium. In 986, Basil besieged Sredets (Sofia) but suffered a serious defeat at the Battle of the Gates of Trajan. He escaped with help from his Varangian Guard. By 1014, Basil launched a campaign aimed at destroying Bulgarian resistance entirely. On the 29th of July 1014, he defeated the Bulgarians at the Battle of Kleidion. He captured 15,000 prisoners and blinded 99 out of every 100 men, leaving one-eyed survivors to lead their comrades back to Samuel. Samuel died two days later on the 6th of October 1014 after suffering a stroke upon seeing his blinded army. Bulgaria submitted in 1018 following continued military pressure and diplomatic efforts to divide its leadership.

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• 5. Eastern Frontier Expansion

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  In 1016, Byzantine armies attacked Crimea alongside Mstislav of Chernigov, capturing George Tzoul and destroying the Khazar successor kingdom. Basil inherited Tao, Phasiane, and Speri in 1001 after David III Kuropalates died. These provinces formed the theme of Iberia with Theodosiopolis as capital. King George I of Georgia occupied Tao in 1015, 1016 but retreated northwards after a bloody battle near Shirimni on the 11th of September 1021. A treaty handed over Tao, Phasiane, Kola, Artaan, and Javakheti, leaving Bagrat as Basil's hostage. In 1021, Basil secured the cession of Vaspurakan from king Senekerim-John in exchange for estates in Sebasteia. He also annexed sub-kingdoms of Armenia before preparing an expedition to recover Sicily when he died.

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• 6. Fiscal And Military Reform

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  Basil concluded a treaty with Doge Pietro II Orseolo in 992 reducing Venice's custom duties from 30 nomismata to 17 nomismata. He protected small agrarian property owners through laws enacted in January 996 limiting rights to estate ownership. If someone had illegally seized land following the Novels of Romanos, their rights were declared null. In 1002, Basil introduced the allelengyon tax obliging wealthy landholders to cover arrears of poorer taxpayers. By 1025, his annual revenue reached 7 million nomismata, allowing him to amass 14.4 million nomismata for the Imperial treasury. Estimates placed his army at up to 110,000 men excluding tagmata in Constantinople. He lived the life of a soldier, eating the same daily rations as the rest of the army and taking children of dead officers under his protection.

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