329:
509:
426:. Although he did not take part in the assassination of Phokas by Tzimiskes in December 969 by feigning illness (and then becoming ill in reality), he knew of it and threw his full support behind Tzimiskes' assumption of the throne afterward, sending his agents to the city to warn the populace against fomenting unrest or engaging in plunder. According to the contemporary historian
591:, these items share similar characteristics in their rich and high-quality decoration, and the relatively lengthy verse dedicatory inscriptions that accompany them. They were probably all dedications to the Monastery of Saint Basil in Constantinople, whose treasures were later pillaged by Basil II. Three manuscripts commissioned by him also survive, all written in high-quality
128:
320:(956–970) and sought, with some success, to turn the emperor against him. According to the sources, this was because the patriarch castigated the avarice of the Lekapenoi and their relatives. He was at Constantine VII's side during his final days, and was the one who wrapped his corpse with its burial shroud.
476:
in 974, the
Emperor saw the vast estates belonging to Basil, and resolved to move against him. Learning of this, Basil arranged for Tzimiskes to be poisoned, although the sources differ on how and where this was done. Modern scholars are skeptical towards these reports; as Kathryn Ringrose writes,
430:, Basil was a close friend of Tzimiskes, but it may also be that Basil's support for this coup was an effort to safeguard the position and rights of his nephews Basil II and Constantine VIII, as a continuation of the Phokas regime would likely have seen Leo Phokas succeed his brother.
441:, a daughter of Constantine VII. Under Tzimiskes, Basil played a leading role in the governance of the state, especially in the fiscal administration, while Tzimiskes himself was more concerned with foreign policy and his military campaigns. Basil himself took part in the
384:, where Phokas awaited with his army. Phokas entered the city, and was crowned senior emperor as guardian of Romanos II's young sons. As a reward for his role in Phokas' elevation to the throne, Basil was restored to his old post as
369:
against
Bringas. Basil armed his numerous attendants—some 3,000 according to the sources—and with the urban mob attacked Bringas and his supporters and seized control of the city and the ports. Bringas sought sanctuary in the
499:
and removed Basil from power. All his lands and possessions were confiscated and all laws issued under his administration were declared null and void. Basil
Lekapenos himself was exiled and died shortly afterwards.
186:
however reports that this was done for political reasons during his infancy, a view supported by modern scholars like
Brokaar and Ringrose, since castration of adults was considered dangerous and was rather rare.
328:
1235:
495:
but in 985 the young
Emperor—wishing to assume the government himself after being dominated by regents and caretaker emperors for thirty years—accused him of sympathizing with the rebel
483:
speaks of "rumours that had been poisoned by Basil the Nothos". All that is certain is that
Tzimiskes fell ill during his campaign and died in Constantinople shortly after his return.
1215:
357:. This began a fierce rivalry and even hatred between the two men. Basil remained on the sidelines for the duration of the reign, but when Romanos died in early 963, his sons
204:, but it is unclear whether it was Romanos Lekapenos who appointed him to the post or whether Constantine VII gave it to him after Romanos' downfall. The contemporary
411:
during his visit in 968 shows him among the senior dignitaries of the
Byzantine court, but the second man of the regime was clearly Nikephoros' younger brother, the
453:
in 971, having been entrusted with the reserve forces, the baggage train and the supply arrangements, while
Tzimiskes himself with his elite troops marched ahead.
1255:
477:"contemporaries believed that eunuchs, like women, rarely fought men honorably and instead resorted to poison and to other underhanded tricks", while the
524:, "one of the most lavish Byzantine art patrons". Several of the objects d'art he commissioned have survived, including a reliquary of the head of Saint
208:
reports that Basil was a loyal and dedicated servant of
Constantine VII, and had a close relationship with Constantine's wife, and his own half-sister,
212:. Following the deposition of Romanos Lekapenos in December 944, Basil supported Constantine VII when he regained power from Basil's half-brothers
990:
Prosopographie der mittelbyzantinischen Zeit Online. Berlin-Brandenburgische
Akademie der Wissenschaften. Nach Vorarbeiten F. Winkelmanns erstellt
433:
Basil helped the new emperor get rid of Phokas' supporters and relatives. He also assisted in the retirement of Romanos II's and Phokas' widow,
1190:
314:
1090:
1009:
953:
929:
438:
1245:
944:
1048:
1037:
456:
During this period, Basil amassed a huge fortune, including entire settlements in the recently conquered southeastern portions of
197:
166:
suggests ca. 925, while the Dutch scholar W. G. Brokaar suggested sometime between 910 and 915. Later Byzantine chroniclers like
160:) origin, but according to Kathryn Ringrose "this may just be a pejorative topos". The exact date of his birth is unknown; the
305:. The Byzantines made many prisoners, including relatives of the Hamdanid emir. As a result, Basil was allowed to celebrate a
479:
162:
220:
in January 945, and was rewarded with senior titles and offices: in his seals and dedicatory inscriptions he is called a
1210:
1200:
317:
310:
1225:
472:. These riches were the cause of Basil's break with Tzimiskes; the sources report that on his return from campaign in
1250:
1205:
597:
1220:
1029:
496:
434:
1110:
275:
127:
313:, where the captives were paraded before the populace of the Byzantine capital. Basil was an opponent of the
1230:
576:
544:
450:
423:
205:
691:
689:
687:
685:
683:
681:
679:
602:
419:
398:, "president of the Senate"). The elevation to this office involved a special ceremony, included in the
217:
29:
464:
mentions the localities of Longias and Drize, while Skylitzes reports that he owned the region between
1185:
1180:
984:
408:
103:
618:
555:
513:
442:
149:
138:
81:
560:
525:
365:
were underage, and a struggle for the throne erupted. Basil sided with the distinguished general
201:
74:
1240:
1195:
1123:
1086:
1058:
1033:
1005:
949:
939:
925:
572:
366:
213:
78:
1019:
972:
642:
634:
588:
508:
446:
362:
334:
239:
107:
91:
1066:
614:
552:
290:
209:
192:
183:
142:
95:
1133:
1118:
461:
427:
342:
282:
270:
252:
234:
167:
133:
86:
20:
963:
Laurent, V. (1953). "Ὁ μέγας βαΐουλος. À l'occasion du parakimomène Basile Lékapène".
565:
1174:
473:
400:
306:
302:
152:(ruled 920–944) by a concubine. It is reported that his mother was a slave woman of "
381:
587:, and was described in 1628 by the missionary Alexander Basilopoulos. According to
413:
371:
1023:
999:
919:
647:
622:
281:
In 958, he led troops to the East to reinforce the general (and future emperor)
1001:
The Perfect Servant: Eunuchs and the Social Construction of Gender in Byzantium
638:
580:
261:
99:
1062:
592:
584:
529:
465:
341:
Upon his accession, Romanos II dismissed him and favoured another official,
257:
228:
190:
His role during the reign of his father is unknown. He first appears as the
179:
732:
730:
728:
726:
724:
722:
720:
718:
716:
714:
712:
710:
708:
706:
704:
988:
610:
492:
469:
457:
390:
358:
332:
Nikephoros Phokas' entry into Constantinople as Emperor in 963, from the
294:
286:
222:
175:
153:
111:
976:
540:
171:
630:
626:
548:
533:
376:
298:
606:
536:
507:
157:
126:
407:
It is unclear what role Basil played under Phokas. The report of
655:
431) an illuminated scroll of the Old Testament book of Joshua.
520:
His enormous wealth enabled Basil to become, according to the
324:
Career under Romanos II, Nikephoros Phokas, and John Tzimiskes
68:
58:
182:
as an adult, following the deposition of his father in 944;
437:, and advised Tzimiskes to cement his position by marrying
987:; Ludwig, Claudia; Pratsch, Thomas; Zielke, Beate (2013).
601:, including his own treatise on naval warfare, now in the
285:
in his campaign against the Arabs: the Byzantines stormed
753:
751:
749:
747:
745:
242:" (likely a distortion indicating the combined titles of
844:, "John I Tzimiskes" (A. Kazhdan, A. Cutler), p. 1045.
264:(r. 959–963). In ca. 947/8 he was raised further from
698:, "Basil the Nothos" (A. Kazhdan, A. Cutler), p. 270.
575:
in Germany. Another reliquary containing the head of
1050:Η πολιτική του Βασιλείου Λακαπηνού έναντι της Δύσης
1004:. Chicago and London: University of Chicago Press.
924:. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press.
404:, and possibly written or edited by Basil himself.
34:
94:for most of the period 947 to 985, under emperors
948:. New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press.
921:Basil II and the Governance of Empire (976–1025)
148:Basil was the illegitimate son of the emperor
491:He continued in office in the early reign of
8:
1025:A History of the Byzantine State and Society
907:Studia bizantina et neohellenica Neerlandica
260:) of Constantine's son and heir, the future
200:(r. 913–959), the legitimate emperor of the
1236:Byzantine people of the Arab–Byzantine wars
1216:Illegitimate children of Byzantine emperors
993:(in German). Berlin and Boston: De Gruyter.
1099:
1085:. Wiesbaden: Dr. Ludwig Reichert Verlag.
905:Brokaar, W.G. (1972). "Basil Lecapenus".
817:
805:
829:
793:
757:
670:
327:
877:
865:
853:
781:
769:
663:
889:
645:. He is also the likely patron of the
250:, "first", of the Senate), as well as
965:Επετηρίς Εταιρείας Βυζαντινών Σπουδών
388:and received the new exalted rank of
374:, while Basil mobilized the imperial
274:(head chamberlain), in succession to
7:
1256:Byzantine people of Armenian descent
345:, who assumed Basil's positions of
945:The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium
14:
796:, pp. 62, 130, 243 (note 3).
736:
198:Constantine VII Porphyrogennetos
841:
739:, Basileios Lakapenos (#20925).
695:
141:, with Basil's brother-in-law,
522:Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium
480:Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium
163:Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium
1:
1191:10th-century Byzantine people
998:Ringrose, Kathryn M. (2003).
47:
40:
1047:Vlysidou, Vassiliki (2005).
311:Hippodrome of Constantinople
293:on a relief army under the
35:
1272:
1246:Sons of Byzantine emperors
1081:Wander, Steven H. (2012).
1057:(in Greek) (17): 111–129.
918:Holmes, Catherine (2005).
641:dedicated to Basil now in
514:cross-reliquary of Limburg
90:and chief minister of the
69:
59:
1156:
1151:of the Byzantine emperor
1146:
1140:
1130:
1115:
1107:
1102:
1030:Stanford University Press
73:, "the Bastard"), was an
24:
1049:
1028:. Stanford, California:
577:Stephen the Protomartyr
516:, commissioned by Basil
178:, claim that Basil was
123:Origin and early career
517:
424:Leo Phokas the Younger
396:proedros tes Synkletou
338:
206:Theophanes Continuatus
145:
98:(his brother-in-law),
985:Lilie, Ralph-Johannes
603:Biblioteca Ambrosiana
511:
504:Patronage of the arts
487:Career under Basil II
420:logothetes tou dromou
380:and other vessels to
331:
218:Constantine Lekapenos
156:" (possibly implying
130:
409:Liutprand of Cremona
114:(his great nephew).
104:Nikephoros II Phokas
84:. He served as the
1211:Byzantine officials
1201:Byzantine courtiers
1055:Byzantine Symmeikta
856:, pp. 195–196.
820:, pp. 498–499.
784:, pp. 201–203.
637:preceded by a fine
619:Dionysiou Monastery
551:, and a well-known
545:St. Mark's Basilica
532:in Italy, a yellow
150:Romanos I Lekapenos
139:Romanos I Lekapenos
137:of Basil's father,
82:Romanos I Lekapenos
36:Basíleios Lekapēnós
25:Βασίλειος Λεκαπηνός
1226:Macedonian dynasty
1161:Title next held by
940:Kazhdan, Alexander
595:: a collection of
526:Symeon the Stylite
518:
339:
202:Macedonian dynasty
146:
75:illegitimate child
55:the Parakoimomenos
1251:Byzantine regents
1206:Byzantine eunuchs
1169:
1168:
1131:Succeeded by
1124:Byzantine emperor
1092:978-3-89500-854-2
1020:Treadgold, Warren
1011:978-0-226-72015-9
955:978-0-19-504652-6
931:978-0-19-927968-5
573:Limburg Cathedral
367:Nikephoros Phokas
214:Stephen Lekapenos
196:(chamberlain) of
79:Byzantine emperor
33:
1263:
1221:Lekapenos family
1141:Preceded by
1108:Preceded by
1100:
1096:
1077:
1075:
1074:
1065:. Archived from
1043:
1015:
994:
980:
959:
935:
914:
893:
887:
881:
875:
869:
863:
857:
851:
845:
839:
833:
827:
821:
815:
809:
803:
797:
791:
785:
779:
773:
767:
761:
755:
740:
734:
699:
693:
674:
668:
643:Saint Petersburg
635:Pauline epistles
589:Vitalien Laurent
569:
363:Constantine VIII
335:Madrid Skylitzes
289:and inflicted a
108:John I Tzimiskes
92:Byzantine Empire
72:
71:
62:
61:
60:ὁ παρακοιμώμενος
52:
49:
45:
42:
38:
28:
26:
1271:
1270:
1266:
1265:
1264:
1262:
1261:
1260:
1171:
1170:
1162:
1153:
1144:
1136:
1127:
1113:
1093:
1083:The Joshua Roll
1080:
1072:
1070:
1051:
1046:
1040:
1018:
1012:
997:
983:
962:
956:
938:
932:
917:
904:
901:
896:
888:
884:
876:
872:
864:
860:
852:
848:
840:
836:
828:
824:
816:
812:
804:
800:
792:
788:
780:
776:
768:
764:
756:
743:
735:
702:
694:
677:
669:
665:
661:
615:John Chrysostom
563:
556:cross reliquary
506:
489:
326:
266:protovestiarios
210:Helena Lekapene
193:protovestiarios
184:Michael Psellos
143:Constantine VII
125:
120:
96:Constantine VII
53:), also called
50:
43:
17:Basil Lekapenos
12:
11:
5:
1269:
1267:
1259:
1258:
1253:
1248:
1243:
1238:
1233:
1231:Parakoimomenoi
1228:
1223:
1218:
1213:
1208:
1203:
1198:
1193:
1188:
1183:
1173:
1172:
1167:
1166:
1160:
1155:
1149:Parakoimomenos
1145:
1143:Joseph Bringas
1142:
1138:
1137:
1134:Joseph Bringas
1132:
1129:
1119:Parakoimomenos
1114:
1109:
1105:
1104:
1103:Court offices
1098:
1097:
1091:
1078:
1044:
1038:
1016:
1010:
995:
981:
960:
954:
942:, ed. (1991).
936:
930:
915:
900:
897:
895:
894:
882:
880:, p. 196.
870:
868:, p. 194.
858:
846:
834:
832:, p. 136.
822:
818:Treadgold 1997
810:
808:, p. 493.
806:Treadgold 1997
798:
786:
774:
772:, p. 200.
762:
760:, p. 130.
741:
700:
675:
662:
660:
657:
579:was held at a
505:
502:
488:
485:
462:Leo the Deacon
443:great campaign
428:Leo the Deacon
386:parakoimomenos
355:parakoimomenos
347:paradynasteuon
343:Joseph Bringas
325:
322:
283:John Tzimiskes
271:parakoimomenos
253:megas baioulos
244:paradynasteuon
235:paradynasteuon
168:John Skylitzes
124:
121:
119:
116:
102:(his nephew),
87:parakoimomenos
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1268:
1257:
1254:
1252:
1249:
1247:
1244:
1242:
1239:
1237:
1234:
1232:
1229:
1227:
1224:
1222:
1219:
1217:
1214:
1212:
1209:
1207:
1204:
1202:
1199:
1197:
1194:
1192:
1189:
1187:
1184:
1182:
1179:
1178:
1176:
1165:
1159:
1152:
1150:
1139:
1135:
1126:
1125:
1121:
1120:
1112:
1106:
1101:
1094:
1088:
1084:
1079:
1069:on 2016-01-31
1068:
1064:
1060:
1056:
1052:
1045:
1041:
1039:0-8047-2630-2
1035:
1031:
1027:
1026:
1021:
1017:
1013:
1007:
1003:
1002:
996:
992:
991:
986:
982:
978:
974:
970:
967:(in French).
966:
961:
957:
951:
947:
946:
941:
937:
933:
927:
923:
922:
916:
912:
908:
903:
902:
898:
891:
886:
883:
879:
874:
871:
867:
862:
859:
855:
850:
847:
843:
838:
835:
831:
830:Ringrose 2003
826:
823:
819:
814:
811:
807:
802:
799:
795:
794:Ringrose 2003
790:
787:
783:
778:
775:
771:
766:
763:
759:
758:Ringrose 2003
754:
752:
750:
748:
746:
742:
738:
733:
731:
729:
727:
725:
723:
721:
719:
717:
715:
713:
711:
709:
707:
705:
701:
697:
692:
690:
688:
686:
684:
682:
680:
676:
673:, p. 92.
672:
671:Ringrose 2003
667:
664:
658:
656:
654:
650:
649:
644:
640:
636:
632:
628:
624:
620:
616:
612:
608:
604:
600:
599:
594:
590:
586:
583:monastery in
582:
578:
574:
570:
567:
562:
557:
554:
550:
546:
542:
538:
535:
531:
527:
523:
515:
510:
503:
501:
498:
497:Bardas Phokas
494:
486:
484:
482:
481:
475:
471:
467:
463:
459:
454:
452:
448:
444:
440:
436:
431:
429:
425:
422:
421:
416:
415:
410:
405:
403:
402:
401:De ceremoniis
397:
393:
392:
387:
383:
379:
378:
373:
368:
364:
360:
356:
352:
348:
344:
337:
336:
330:
323:
321:
319:
316:
312:
308:
304:
303:Sayf al-Dawla
300:
296:
292:
288:
284:
279:
277:
273:
272:
267:
263:
259:
255:
254:
249:
245:
241:
237:
236:
231:
230:
225:
224:
219:
215:
211:
207:
203:
199:
195:
194:
188:
185:
181:
177:
173:
169:
165:
164:
159:
155:
151:
144:
140:
136:
135:
129:
122:
117:
115:
113:
109:
105:
101:
97:
93:
89:
88:
83:
80:
76:
66:
56:
37:
31:
22:
18:
1163:
1157:
1148:
1147:
1117:
1116:
1082:
1071:. Retrieved
1067:the original
1054:
1024:
1000:
989:
968:
964:
943:
920:
910:
906:
885:
878:Laurent 1953
873:
866:Laurent 1953
861:
854:Laurent 1953
849:
837:
825:
813:
801:
789:
782:Brokaar 1972
777:
770:Brokaar 1972
765:
666:
652:
646:
639:book epigram
596:
559:
521:
519:
490:
478:
455:
445:against the
432:
418:
414:kouropalates
412:
406:
399:
395:
389:
385:
375:
372:Hagia Sophia
354:
350:
346:
340:
333:
291:heavy defeat
280:
269:
265:
251:
247:
243:
233:
227:
221:
191:
189:
161:
147:
132:
85:
64:
54:
16:
15:
1186:980s deaths
1181:920s births
977:11615/16013
971:: 193–205.
892:, p. .
890:Wander 2012
648:Joshua Roll
623:Mount Athos
564: [
561:staurotheke
382:Chrysopolis
1175:Categories
1111:Theophanes
1073:2016-01-25
913:: 199–234.
659:References
581:Franciscan
318:Polyeuctus
276:Theophanes
262:Romanos II
100:Romanos II
65:the Nothos
51: 985
44: 925
1164:Nicholas
1063:1105-1639
633:with the
617:, in the
593:parchment
585:Heraklion
553:enamelled
530:Camaldoli
466:Anazarbos
435:Theophano
315:Patriarch
258:preceptor
229:patrikios
223:basilikos
180:castrated
118:Biography
30:romanized
1241:Patricii
1196:Basil II
1154:963–985
1128:947–959
1022:(1997).
653:Pal. Gr.
629:; and a
611:homilies
493:Basil II
470:Podandos
458:Anatolia
451:Bulgaria
439:Theodora
391:proedros
359:Basil II
297:emir of
295:Hamdanid
287:Samosata
176:Kedrenos
154:Scythian
112:Basil II
1158:Unknown
1122:of the
899:Sources
598:Taktika
541:chalice
394:(fully
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