Hot Take:
Basil II’s conquest of Bulgaria saved the Byzantine Empire.
Basil II’s conquest of Bulgaria saved the Byzantine Empire.
There was little ability to expand further into the Levant by 1000 AD & the Turkish threat couldn’t have been foreseen by Basil. Byzantium couldn’t have recovered from the loss of Anatolia under the Komnenoi without the the men & resources of Bulgaria.
What’s your hottest historical take?
Another hot take:
Basil gets too much heat for not choosing an heir. The Empire continued to prosper through 1050s AD, a military/political collapse 50 years after his death can’t just be his fault… what if his heir would’ve terrible?
Basil gets too much heat for not choosing an heir. The Empire continued to prosper through 1050s AD, a military/political collapse 50 years after his death can’t just be his fault… what if his heir would’ve terrible?
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