The Historians' History of the World 07

863 Battle of Amasia. Great victory of Petronas, the emperor’s uncle. Death of Omar. The end of trouble with the Mohammedans for some years.

865 First appearance of the Russians in the empire. They attack Constantinople, but are driven off.

866 Michael kills Bardas with the aid of Basil the Macedonian, who becomes cæsar.

867 Assassination of Michael at the instigation of Basil, who takes the throne. Basil removes Photius and restores Ignatius.

THE BASILIAN DYNASTY (867-1057 A.D.)

871 The Paulicians attacked and reduced to obedience.

872 Basil takes the field against the Mohammedans.

875-876 Victories of Basil in Cilicia.

877 Death of Ignatius. Photius regains the patriarchate.

881 Basil plans to drive the Mohammedans out of Sicily and Italy. Cyprus recovered and held for eleven years.

885 Nicephorus Phocas expels the Mohammedans from Italy. They still hold Sicily. Accusation against Leo, the emperor’s son, by Santabaren, in which the former narrowly escapes death.

886 Death of Basil, who is wounded while hunting. His son, Leo (VI) the Philosopher, succeeds. He has Santabaren’s eyes put out, and banishes him. Photius deposed.

887-888 Arabs invade Asia Minor, and attempt to regain Italy. They give up the attempt on the latter country in 891.

Stylianus, Leo’s father-in-law and prime minister, by his treatment of Bulgarian merchants, precipitates a war with Bulgaria. This country wins several victories, and

893 Leo makes a treaty of peace.

895 Conspiracy of Samonas against the emperor. Further Arab invasions of Sicily.

904 The Arabs capture Thessalonica with a fleet. The last remains of the senate’s authority destroyed by a constitution of Leo. Second Russian expedition to Constantinople.

911 Mohammedan naval victory off Samos. Death of Leo. His infant son, Constantine (VII) Porphyrogenitus, and his brother Alexander rule together.

912 Death of Alexander. He nominates, before dying, a regency of six members, exclusive of the patriarch, to act during Constantine’s minority. Attempt of Constantine Ducas to gain the throne suppressed by John Eladas, one of the regents. Zoe Carbonopsina, mother of Constantine, admitted to supreme power by the regency.

913-914 Simeon, king of Bulgaria, invades the empire with no positive results.

917 The Patzinaks defeat Leo Phocas at Achelous, which causes Romanus Lecapenus to intrigue for the throne.

919 Constantine marries Romanus’ daughter Helena. Romanus (I) Lecapenus crowned emperor as colleague to Constantine.

920 Christopher, son of Romanus, is raised to the imperial dignity.

921 The war with the Bulgarians assumes serious proportions; further increased

923 by an alliance between King Simeon of Bulgaria and the Mohammedans.

926 A temporary end is put to the troubles with the Bulgarians and Arabs by an interview between Romanus and Simeon.

927 Peter, Simeon’s successor, enters Byzantine territory, demanding war or the hand of the emperor’s granddaughter. Romanus agrees to the latter alternative.

928 Romanus makes his sons, Stephanus and Constantine VIII, associate emperors. There are now five emperors.

931 Death of Christopher.

934-940 Period of complete peace in the empire, except for petty warfare with Lombard princes. Constantine VII plans to regain the sole power.

941 A Russian fleet of ten thousand galleys appears before Constantinople. Romans drive them off with small force.

944 Stephanus and Constantine VIII at instigation of Constantine VII banish their father to Prota. Constantine VII then regains full power, and banishes Stephanus and Constantine VIII likewise to Prota, 945.

During the remainder of Constantine’s reign the war with the Mohammedans is prosecuted with great vigour, especially when Nicephorus Phocas succeeds in assembling a large army. Many conspiracies against Constantine by the deposed emperors.

959 Death of Constantine, the result of poison administered by his son Romanus II, who becomes emperor.

961 Brilliant conquest of Crete by Nicephorus. The Mohammedans expelled after occupation of 150 years.

962 Nicephorus attacks Aleppo, but is unable to take the citadel.

963 Death of Romanus, which has been attributed to poison administered by the empress Theophano. Nicephorus (II) Phocas marries Theophano and obtains the throne. His chief aim is to break the Mohammedan power.

964-965 Conquest of Tarsus by the Byzantines. Nicephorus recalled to Constantinople by troubles with Bulgarians and Hungarians. To repel them he makes alliance with Sviatoslaff, prince of Kieff, which causes a bloody war with the Russians.

965 Embassy of Liutprand to Constantinople. The emperor imprisons him.

968 Nicephorus returns to Asia Minor and recovers Antioch, 328 years in the Mohammedan power. He prepares to attack Baghdad.