Getting into the real good stuff now. Glad to see the series continue

Hey, we're approaching the interesting chapter in Byzantine history. Keep it up! This series is gonna take awhile actually....

I love the theory of Basil starting the rumor about Leo's paternity in order to create a win-win situation. Kobiashi maru...

57:00 "needs of many outweigh needs of few" is just an excuse to steal my bike

I've read historian speculation that, like Bardas before he was murdered, Basil was spending a lot of time on the administration of the empire, and not paying much attention to Michael. Like Bardas, Basil was becoming estranged from Michael, and as Michael found Basil and made him Michael's favorite during the Bardas administration, during the dinner, a drunk Michael announced that he has found a new favorite, and was going to make that new favorite his co-emperor also. Basil, realizing that Michael was going to repeat history, and his position was precarious, decided instead to murder Michael and become the lone Emperor. This speculation seems very logical to me.

I can just hear George W. Bush: "It was around the 15th mile that I knew something was wrong. I raised my concerns with the huntmaster, but he told me to shut up, which was what he always said to me."

I think that the quality of this series only improves from episode to episode, though Basil is a very interesring figure altogether. Really good job Thersites. I'm looking forward to hear your take about Leo VI, just did some research about him myself for an article about the Hungarians arrival in Europe.

KZfaq "History Bad! No money for you!"

Well worth the wait

I gotta say. Between Nicephorus I, Leo V, the Amorian Emperors and Basil I, 9th century Byzantium is probably my favorite period of Byzantine history so far.

I love how your explaining all this very serious and important history and the just say shit like "his butthole was chaffed"

I know this is an old video but I really enjoyed this. Extremely interesting and the powerpoint screen images are useful. Excited to watch more of your videos and I’m happy I found this

15:16 he is a happy pirate in this picture

Great series, excited about the next ones coming.

Is this series going to continue? It's such a rich subject and you cover it Impeccably. I just want to point out the you stopped right before the Byzantine Renaissance! Buzz Kill! I hope you continue. Amazing stuff!

Dude, your work is AMAZING! Please, keep up this amazing series!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I’ve read in some books that Basil was taking care of the horses when Michael fell from a horse and Basil saved his life .. That’s how the story started when Michael entrusted Basil

Since Basil I is now your favorite Byzantine Emperor, I take it that means Zeno has now been demoted to 2nd place?

Devotee of the hunt. Like King Robert Baratheon!

When I saw the title I screamed. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Thank you for the compromise bit. I'm always so confused when I hear defeatist say "a good compromise is where both sides are unhappy". "No that's a bad compromise. People are unhappy because you're dumb clearly."

Cant wait for the Diodochi series

Fuck yeah! been waiting for this for a while.

people tend to give credit to Basil for Michael's, Vardas' and Petronas' achievements

Nice👍

19:09 very interesting hypotheses!

my salutations from italy bro.

In my view Basil's ecclesiastical policy was extremely reckless and endangered the Byzantine Church. By declaring that Photius had never been patriarch his council invalidated all his appointments and judgements and threw everything into confusion. It is interesting that the Tomus Unionis of 920 took the trouble to anathematize anyone who declared that Photius had not been patriarch though the zealot party, if they still existed at that date, could argue that this only referred to his second patriarchate.

Bas 007 destroys Goldfinger's HQ Teh Freaky. Uh huh. Gotta love it.

We wait you to cover Lecapenus' age and times

As I read into the Byzantine emperors throughout the centuries I notice certain patterns. The 9th century seems to have hatred or jealousy because of suspicions. Basil I was suspicious that Leo was the son of Michael III his partner on the throne instead of his son and hated him because of it. Basil I was suspicious while hunting that people are trying to kill him and he executes them (or him) first. Going back to Leo the Armenian and Michael II they teamed up against their predecessor to abdicate his throne and they succeeded. But when Leo became emperor Michael conspired against him but was thrown in prison but his men succeeded in assassinating Leo and enthroning Michael II to the throne. So there’s an atmosphere of hatred and suspicion once again.

"Basil I, called the Macedonian (Greek: Βασίλειος ὁ Μακεδών, Basíleios ō Makedṓn, 811 - 29 August 886), was a Byzantine Emperor who reigned from 867 to 886. His ethnic origin is unknown and has been a subject of debate. During Basil's reign, an elaborate genealogy was produced that purported that his ancestors were not mere peasants, as everyone believed, but descendants of the Arsacid (Arshakuni) kings of Armenia, and also of Constantine the Great. The name of his mother points to a GREEK ORIGIN ON HIS MATERNAL SIDE.[3][8] The general scholarly consensus is that Basil's father was "probably" of Armenian origin, and settled in Byzantine Thrace.[9] " wiki/Basil_I

pretty good

KZfaq is screwing quite a bit of people

You forgot the role of the filioque and Photius rejection of filioque in the Photian schism.

ROFL about Mr. Nanny! So funny.... I wonder if Roman Reigns realizes who Basil I was

Anyone who says getting dragged by a horse for 16 miles isn't a bad way to go has never been dragged by a horse for 16 miles.

A wrestler emperor ? Basil mania is gonna run wild on you !

Basil the Macedonian famously claimed to have ancestry from: an Armenian king, from Constantine the Great and from Alexander the great (!) simply because he wanted to add legitimacy to his usurped throne. Of course such lineage was impossible to be established and both the evidence and modern scholarship suggest that Basil I was most probably of a mixed Armenian (father) and Greek (mother) ancestry, while there is no actual evidence that he spoke any Armenian at all. From Mavrikios onwards all emperors were either Greek, either half-Greek or at the least totally Hellenized, otherwise they simply wouldn't be accepted as the rulers. By the end of late antiquity, in order to be accepted as a "Basileus Romaion" one had to 1) speak fluent Greek, 2) have Greco-roman cultural values and 3) be a Chalcedonian Christian. These three components together, made someone a true "Romaios".

I would like to know where do you take your informations?

What evidence/sources are there for the date of Basil's birth? I have heard it being said (for example on Robin Pierson's the History of Byzantium) that Basil was around 35 when he became emperor.

Hey, Thersites, the more detailed lecture on Basil I is exclusive to patreons or they get an earlier release?

👍

First of all, one of the most interesting emperors. George Finlay's distaste against Basil I and Leo VI is really enjoyable to read. Also, in before someone appear saying "buh, macedonia is greek buh buh slavs are shit bla bla bla"

Blimey remind me never to turn my back on you! How can it ever be right to murder in cold blood someone who is: A) your best friend. B) views you as a father figure C) raised you up from nothing! Just for power.

more of these are coming yes???????????????

. Skylitzes and Zonaras clearly distinguish Thracians, Macedonians and Romaioi (Greeks)

Anyone else here from CK3?

He was a real bastard huh lol

ROMAN HISTORY IS GRECO ROMAN HISTORY , GREEK BYZANTINE HISTORY , GREEK HISTORY , GREEK EMPIRE , GREEK CULTURE , GREEK IDENTITY

Very important part that is not being mentioned in this documentary....why Macedonian..??!!...should be the HEART in explaining Basil,as a WHOLE....thats why so many unanswered questions....you answer that,the PICTURE will become much more clearer....it should be THE MAIN POINT actually....

sorry the only certain thing we know is that his mother was greek . For godsakeyou have a tendency to dehellenise all the Byzantine emperors . great majority of them spoke greek as first language

another one another one another one another one another one another one... ...... ... ..

I really don't approve of you shrugging him off as a mass murderer; but that's just me

Basileios was not a Macedonian as he pretended, the Persian Shahanshah having deported his family to Macedonia ! Instaed he was born in Adrianopolis .His father was a comoner, his brother Bardas had an Armenian name. Basil has been remarked by Emperor Michel III as a wrestler, or an excellent horsedresser. So he invited him to the Imperial Court , made him his preferite and associated him to power. Basileios was no Macedonian but an Armenian, and was not even born in Makedonia ! Furthermore he was an usurper and finally he did NOT found any dynasty having left only one adult son (Alexandros) who also had NO issue ! His first son he had with his first wife Maria named Sebastos and renamed Constantin when he was associated as co-emperor (togheter with Leon ,the son of Michael III) died 878 an adolescent. To found a dynasty the tradition requests 3 consecutive regnants of the same family: grand father,father an son. So there is NO " macedonian " dynasty an NO " macedonian renaissance" . The AMORID dynasty continued till 1056 ( death of Emperess Theodora), daughter of Constantinos VIII. ...

You do realize, of course, that many Byzantine historians think Basil I was homosexual (or what we might now call "bisexual" though admittedly these modern conceptions didn't exist back then)? And all the hoopla about him being "so big! So strong! So handsome!" was the various men in question wanting him? And that he and Michael were a bit more than just "drinking buddies"? And yes, yes, yes, women and they had children, blah blah blah. But please. Don't be naive. One can do all that, yet still want men.

Outstanding 9th century information.....But, please omit the totally unnecessary abject PROFANITY!

Basil I did not found any dynasty. To found a dynasty one needs 3 rulers of the same family in sucession : grand father,father and son.Basils first son Sebastos,later renamed Constantinos died in his youth. Alexandros, the son Basil had from Eudokia Ingerina, died without issue. Leon VI was NOT the son of Basil I, and continued the Amorian dynasty with Konstantinos VII porphyrogennetos , Romanos II and his two sons Basileios II Boulgaroktonos, and Konstantine VIII and Konstantines daughters the emperesses Zoe and Theodora down to 1056.

Sorry ! Basileios ho Makedôn did not found any MAKEDONIAN dynasty. Basileios usurpated the Byzantine throne by assassinating his benefactor Emperor Michael III on September 23/24 867. Michael III had forced him to marry his (Michael's) lifelong mistress Eudokía Ingerina with whom he (Michael) already had had two sons Leon VI and Stephanos. Basil had a son from his first marriage with Maria N, named Sebastos (an armenian name) whom he renamed Konstantinos while macking him his co-emperor. Unfortunately Konstantinos died as he was 14 years old (865-879).With Eudokia Basileios had a second son Alexandros (23.11.872-6.01. 913) to whom he dedicated all of his attentions to educate him as a good ruler. Basileios I died August 2 ,886. After Leôn VI's succession on the throne, he called his half brother Alexandros to reign with him as co-emperor. which Alexandros did. He reigned alone from May 11. 912 to June 6. 913, for 1 year after Leon' s death. So the "Makedonian dynasty" ended with the death of Alexandros in June 5, 913. To found a dynasty You need the uninterrupted succession of a minimum of three regnants of the same family. So the Amorian dynasty continued with Leon's son Konstantinos VII, his son Rômanos II, both sons of Rômanos II Basileios II The Great and Konstantinos VIII, the last male of the Amorian dynasty. Kônstatinos VIII had two daughters Emperess Zôê and her sister emperess Theodora, with whom the Amorian dynasty ended anno 1056.

Just he was a Macedonian not Ermenian!

Basil,,, is read VASIL.. na "bejzel".. That"b" is actually "V".... In Macedonia 🇲🇰, we stil have today the name "VASIL ", not "bejzel"... stop fake the past..