Portrait: AI-generated imagined likeness
Emperor · Monarch · Politician
Emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire. Founded the Macedonian dynasty and laid the foundations for an era of imperial reconstruction and cultural prosperity. He is a person who thinks about the medieval Byzantine world.
View in catalogConstantinople
Work
Founding of the Macedonian dynasty
867
Political event · Leader
Map: Natural Earth (PD)
He is said to have come from a region of the Eastern Roman Empire, and distinguished himself at the court. From a lowly position, he approached the emperor and rose to power in the complicated court politics.
He became emperor in 867 and founded the Macedonian dynasty. He organized the military and administration, was involved in the compilation of legal codes and church policy, and created the foundation that supported the stability of the Eastern Roman Empire.
Much of Basil I's origins are legendary. Stories of ascension demonstrate the complex interplay of individual ability, patronage, and intrigue at the Byzantine court.
When you study Basil I, you can see the process by which the Eastern Roman Empire inherited the heritage of ancient Rome while transforming into a world of medieval Greek culture and Orthodoxy. His dynasty marked the beginning of the Byzantine Restoration.
