Etc

Oof

F

An anarchy continued until 712 when someone was back

Justinian II was back with a golden prosthetic on his nose and he was pissed

His second reign lasted a short time before he was executed

Credits to Leo III the Khazar for fixing the anarchy

Otherwise the Byzantines would have collapsed earlier

Most of the 8th Century onward was a bit quiet since nothing was happening due to ok emperors

Constantine V The dung named was good; despite his name which was given by hostile historians

Enter Constantine VI?

His own mom had him blinded and exiled.

He died soon after.

She was kicked off the throne by a Financial Administrator named Nikephoros I.

In 811 AD, Nikephoros was on a campaign in Bulgaria

He brutally murdered a town’s population with no mercy, and the Tzar Krum was pissed

In 811 AD by the Pliska pass, Krum ambushed Nikephoros’ forces and decimated them all

His son Staurakios died too; the future emperor

Well

Staurakios was mortally injured but he reigned for 4 months before dying

His successor Michael I was ineffective, ruling for 3 years

Everything was pretty fine; till Michael III the drunkard came in

People call him the drunkard because he was lazy and ineffective

He was actually pretty good contrary to what was branded upon him

The byzantine made a lot of territorial gains

Overall, approaching the 9th century the byzantine empire was faring off pretty well.

Basil I the Macedonian ruled until 886? AD after him.

Basil was good. Great financial administrator and conqueroror

Died in a hunting accident after getting dragged by a deer for 16 KM.

The empire was fine for many years after basil died under Constantine VII Porphyrogenitos and Romanos Lekapenos

Enter 960.

The empire’s all fine and dandy, but Romanos’ successor Romanos II is ineffective.

When he dies, a lad named Nikephoros II pinches the throne

Nikephoros was an ugly person, but one of the best military conquerors.

He was eventually killed after a 6 year reign after a conspiracy from a minister that he demoted for ineffectivity

His successor John Tzismiskes was great too, excellent conqueror until his untimely death in 976 from the plague

Then came the best Byzantine emperor

Basil II Boulgaroktonos.

Basil expanded the Empire’s territories all the way to the danube and was a brilliant financial admin. All was great at that time.

His successors were poorly chosen men who were husbands of the Empress Zoe, except for Constantine Monomachos who was fairly good

Then a bloke came along by 1060~ named Constantine X Doulas