Basil I - From peasant to emperor, Reign, Family

Byzantine emperor (867–86), born in Thrace. He rose in the imperial service from obscure origins to become co-ruler in 867 with Michael III, whom he murdered in the same year. He formulated the Greek legal code, in a text known as the Basilica. The dynasty he founded ruled Constantinople until 1056.

Basil I, called the Macedonian (Greek: Βασίλειος Α΄ο Μακεδών, Basileios I o Makedhon), (c. However, the opinion of modern historians is less flattering as it appears that reforms associated with his name were in reality launched by his predecessor, Michael III, whom Basil had assassinated.

From peasant to emperor

Basil I's ethnic origin has been a source of numerous controversies ever since his lifetime. According to tradition current in his own reign, Basil was of Armenian descent and supposedly a distant descendant of an Armenian princely family.

He spent a part of his childhood in captivity in Bulgaria, where his family had been carried off as captives of Krum of Bulgaria since 813. Together with much of the resettled captive population, Basil succeeded in escaping in c.

While serving Theophilitzes, he visited the city of Patras, where he gained the favour of Danielis, a wealthy woman who took him into her household and endowed him with a fortune.

On Michael's orders, he divorced his wife Maria and married Eudokia Ingerina, Michael's favorite mistress, in c. It was commonly believed that Leo VI, Basil's successor and reputed son, was really the son of Michael. Although Basil seems to have shared this belief, the subsequent promotion of Basil to Caesar and then co-emperor provided the child with a legitimate and imperial parent and secured his succession to the throne.

During an expedition against the Arabs, Basil convinced Michael III that his uncle Bardas coveted the throne, and murdered Bardas with Michael's approval on April 21, 866. Now Basil became the leading personality at court and was invested in the now vacant dignity of kaisar (Caesar), before being crowned co-emperor on May 26. This promotion may have included Basil's adoption by Michael III, himself a much younger man.

As Michael III started to favor another courtier, Basil decided that his position was being undermined and preempted events by organizing the assassination of Michael on the night of September 23/24, 867.

Reign

Basil I inaugurated a new age in the history of the empire, associated with the dynasty which he founded.

To secure his family on the throne, Basil I associated as co-emperors his eldest son Constantine (in 869) and his second son Leo (in 870).

Because of the great legislative work which Basil undertook, and which may be described as a revival of the laws of Justinian I, he is often called the "second Justinian." Basil's laws were collected in the Basilica, consisting of sixty books, and smaller legal manuals known as the Prochiron and the Eisagoge. Basil's financial administration was prudent. However, Basil had no intention of yielding to Rome beyond a certain point.

Basil's reign was marked by the troublesome ongoing war with the Paulicians, centered on Tephrike on the upper Euphrates, who rebelled, allied with the Arabs, and raided as far as Nicaea, sacking Ephesus. Basil's general Christopher defeated the Paulicians in 872, and the death of their leader Chrysocheir led to the definite subjection of their state.

In the West, Basil allied with Louis II, Holy Roman Emperor against the Arabs and his fleet cleared the Adriatic Sea from their raids.

Basil's spirits declined in 879, when his eldest and favorite son Constantine died. Basil now associated as co-emperor his youngest son Alexander. Basil got on badly with Leo, whom he probably suspected of being the son of Michael III. Basil died on August 29, 886 from a fever contracted after a serious hunting accident when his belt was caught in the antlers of a deer, and he was dragged from his horse.

Family

By his first wife Maria, Basil I had several children, including:

Symbatios, renamed Constantine, co-emperor from 869 to 879.

By his second wife, Eudokia Ingerina, Basil I officially had three sons:

Leo VI, who succeeded as emperor and may actually have been the son of Michael III.