Message from @!?_Quantum_Physics
Discord ID: 690005209824755787
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 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
Doukas
What about the Great Schism?
Doukas was pathetic, destroyed the army, and economy
Oh the schism?
I’ll get into that later
His successor Romanos IV diogenes suffered a horrible defeat at Manzikert in 1071 to the turks and all was in shambles since he was taken captive