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Key Facts |
| Other names |
Basil I, Basil the Macedonian |
| Born |
811 |
| Location |
Hadrianopolis |
| Bloodline |
Leo (of Macedonia) |
| Married |
Yes |
| Children |
Yes |
| Position |
Holy Roman Emperor (867-886) |
| Died |
August 886 (Aged 75) |
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Source of Facts and Important Announcement |
| Status |
Under Article 64.6 of the Covenant of One-Heaven (Pactum De Singularis Caelum) by Special Qualification shall be known as a Saint, with all sins and evil acts they performed forgiven. |
| Date of formal Beatification |
Day of Redemption UCA[E1:Y1:A1:S1:M9:D1] also known as Fri, 21 Dec 2012. |
| Source of Facts |
Self Confession and Revelation of Sainthood by the Deceased Spirit as condition of their confirmation as a true Saint. |
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Background |
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Basil was born in Hadrianopolis, the son of Leo (later Emperor Leo (813-820)--the Byzantine administrative governor of the theme of Macedonia next to the theme of Thracia and Constantinople. The administrative division (theme) of Macedonia historically bore no geographic resemblence to modern Armenia. However, this has not stopped generations of historians from deliberately calling him "Armenian" when he lived in a major city within 120 miles north-west of Constantinople. |
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In the same year of the birth of Basil (811), Emperor Nicephorus I Genik had suffered a series of humiliating losses to Khan Krum of Bulgaria having failed to capture the Bulgarian Khazar capital of Pliska. During the retreat of the Byzantine forces, the son of Emperor Nicephorus I named Staurakios was mortally wounded. |
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Upon news reaching Constantinople, Michael I Rangabe the Curopalates (head of the palace guard) deposed Nicephorus I in a coup d’état proclaiming himself Emperor. A paranoid and untrustworthy leader, Leo and other regional leaders still honored him lest their lands and titles be seized. |
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Leo was ordered to defend the southern reaches of the Byzantine Empire against the Muslim raiders, while his own lands and family at Hadrianopolis were dangerously exposed to further Bulgarian attack. |
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When Khan Krum attacked on force into Macedonia theme, Michael I Rangabe himself was forced to head the army to defend against Constantinople being exposed from the north-west while Leo was called back to defend his homeland. It is claimed in some history that Basil was captured during the fall of Hadrianopolis, however this contradicts the events that unfolded. It is recorded that for some reason Leo did not return in time to direct the army for Michael I Rangabe with the Emperor personally suffered a humiliating defeat at the Battle of Versinikia in June 813 in spite of holding vastly superior numbers. |
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When Leo did arrive, he immediately arrested the Emperor, proclaimed himself the new Emperor and took charge of the army. He then cut off Khan Krum who has pressed forward to within sight of Constantinoplefrom the rest of his army and killed him soon after. To confuse, some historians created the myth that Krum died of natural causes one year later. The Bulgarian forces were routed and Emperor Leo signed a peace treaty by 814/815 with the Bulgarian Khazars that would last for 30 years. |
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In 820, Basil and his family were again thrown into turmoil when his father the Emperor was assassinated in a plot by deposed Emperor Michael who escaped prison with the help of his Paulician sect leaders. |
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In one of the contradictions and deliberate corruptions concerning the life of Basil, it is said that his rise to power was through some implied homosexual/bisexual relationship with wealthy Byzantine land holder Theophilitzes as his groom. This could not be further from the truth as it appears the life goal of Basil to eliminate every last member of the Phrygian royal family under the Michaels-which he achieved with the execution of Michael II (wrongly listed as Michael III) in September 867. |
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Because of the great legislative work which Basil undertook, he is often called the "second Justinian." Basil's laws were collected in the Basilica, consisting of sixty books, and smaller legal manuals known as the Prochiron and the Eisagoge. Leo VI was responsible for completing these legal works. Basil's financial administration was prudent. Consciously desiring to emulate Justinian, Basil also initiated an extensive building program in Constantinople, crowned by the construction of the Nea Ekklesia cathedral. |
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Basil died in August 886 and was succeeded by his son Emperor Leo VI "the wise" (886-912). |
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