Once more, many thanks to all who followed and commented on this story, so far the TL I've written that I'm most proud of.
TLIAW: A continued Macedonian dynasty, or: Basil II's guide to raising a family
- Thread starter ByzantineLover
- Start date
As a little bonus, here's a family tree for the Macedonian dynasty I've made on Microsoft Excel. Note there are a few lines/connectors missing.
Soon I'll be starting a new TLIAM (Timeline in a month), focused on either Michael III 'the Drunkard' of the Phrygian dynasty, or Romanos IV Diogenes. Your choice, of course.
Soon I'll be starting a new TLIAM (Timeline in a month), focused on either Michael III 'the Drunkard' of the Phrygian dynasty, or Romanos IV Diogenes. Your choice, of course.
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I see; oh, what happened to the remaining Seljuk Turks? Did they stay within the Empire?
I think those who didn't flee to the Ghaznavids, India or the Arabian peninsula were killed by the various dynasties which succeeded them.
Thanks for all the compliments, everyone, but now I'm considering a rewrite - changing some minor details (some characters names) to some writing decisions that could have been thought out better (e.g. John's absence from the capital at Basil's death). I don't know, I just can't help but keep going back and wondering what I could have done differently.
Would anyone be interested in a minor rewrite of this TLIAW? Key among the changes would be Basil II's wife.
Would anyone be interested in a minor rewrite of this TLIAW? Key among the changes would be Basil II's wife.
Thanks, and welcome to the forum. I've got the rewrite almost completely worked out, but right now, since I can't edit my previous posts, I'm trying to decide whether to post it in this thread or start a new thread.
Any other thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
Okay, I'll be posting the rewritten posts from this point on.
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1002 AD:
Basil II was returning to Constantinople after four years of campaigning against the Bulgarians. He had learned from his mistakes at the Battle at the Gates of Trajan and now Vidin and all of Thessaly, Macedonia, Moesia and Western Bulgaria was under Roman rule.
Despite Basil's recent successes, his life had not been an easy one, to say the least. At the tender age of five, his father, Romanos II, had died and his mother, Theophano, had married a military strongman - Nikephoros II Phokas, better known to his enemies as 'The White Death of the Saracens'. After 6 years, Theophano murdered Nikephoros to place his nephew, John Tzimiskes on the throne. Instead of marrying her, John had instead sent Basil's mother to a nunnery and married Romanos' sister Theodora. John Tzimiskes served as a mentor for Basil for 7 years before dying abruptly after a successful campaign against the Fatimids. Basil was finally old enough to rule in his own right, but he was immediately hindered by three nobles - Bardas Skleros, Bardas Phokas and Basil Lekapenos - who were determined to reduce his family to impotent ciphers. Basil had defeated them all, but he was a changed man - sombre, bitter and distrustful with no time for art, rhetoric or the ceremonial of the court at Constantinople. Phokas and Lekapenos were now dead, and Bardas Skleros had given him the following advice:
"Cut down the governors who become over-proud. Let no generals on campaign have too many resources. Exhaust them with unjust exactions, to keep them busied with their own affairs. Admit no woman to the imperial councils. Be accessible to no one. Share with few your most intimate plans."
For the rest of his reign, Basil would take this advice to heart, yet now he was mulling the last bits of advice. His brother Constantine had three daughters, Eudokia, Zoe (married to the German Emperor, Otto III) and Theodora, but no sons, and Basil himself was unmarried. Bardas Skleros had a son and a grandson. Suddenly, Basil realised Skleros' masterstroke - while he had defeated the old general, his lineage would continue and thrive, and if he followed the last bits of his 'advice', the Macedonian dynasty would likely end up extinct. Basil was determined not to let that happen*. After resting at Philippopolis, Basil headed south towards Adrianople, which had been plundered by Tsar Samuel while he was in Macedonia. A sorry sight - buildings smoking and collapsing, dead bodies everywhere. Outwardly, Basil's only reaction was to furrow his brows and stroke his whiskers, which he usually did if he was angry or deep in thought. Inside, he was mulling over potential brides. When he was younger, Nikephoros Phokas had betrothed him and Constantine to daughters of Boris II. Even if they were alive, Basil didn't even know their names and he doubted they would appreciate him conquering their homeland. Now he had thought of a better choice - Theophano Balatios, the niece of his second mentor, John Tzimiskes**. Such a marriage would placate the nobles without allowing her family to become intimately related to the royal family the way the Lekapenoi had.
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*: POD. OTL, Basil never married and his brother and nieces had no male issue, bringing an end to the Macedonian dynasty with Theodora's death in 1056.
**: First major change. John Tzimiskes did have a sister who married Romanos Balatios, and I found the name Theophano Balatios while browsing the CK2 files on Notepad++.
__________________________________________________
1002 AD:
Basil II was returning to Constantinople after four years of campaigning against the Bulgarians. He had learned from his mistakes at the Battle at the Gates of Trajan and now Vidin and all of Thessaly, Macedonia, Moesia and Western Bulgaria was under Roman rule.
Despite Basil's recent successes, his life had not been an easy one, to say the least. At the tender age of five, his father, Romanos II, had died and his mother, Theophano, had married a military strongman - Nikephoros II Phokas, better known to his enemies as 'The White Death of the Saracens'. After 6 years, Theophano murdered Nikephoros to place his nephew, John Tzimiskes on the throne. Instead of marrying her, John had instead sent Basil's mother to a nunnery and married Romanos' sister Theodora. John Tzimiskes served as a mentor for Basil for 7 years before dying abruptly after a successful campaign against the Fatimids. Basil was finally old enough to rule in his own right, but he was immediately hindered by three nobles - Bardas Skleros, Bardas Phokas and Basil Lekapenos - who were determined to reduce his family to impotent ciphers. Basil had defeated them all, but he was a changed man - sombre, bitter and distrustful with no time for art, rhetoric or the ceremonial of the court at Constantinople. Phokas and Lekapenos were now dead, and Bardas Skleros had given him the following advice:
"Cut down the governors who become over-proud. Let no generals on campaign have too many resources. Exhaust them with unjust exactions, to keep them busied with their own affairs. Admit no woman to the imperial councils. Be accessible to no one. Share with few your most intimate plans."
For the rest of his reign, Basil would take this advice to heart, yet now he was mulling the last bits of advice. His brother Constantine had three daughters, Eudokia, Zoe (married to the German Emperor, Otto III) and Theodora, but no sons, and Basil himself was unmarried. Bardas Skleros had a son and a grandson. Suddenly, Basil realised Skleros' masterstroke - while he had defeated the old general, his lineage would continue and thrive, and if he followed the last bits of his 'advice', the Macedonian dynasty would likely end up extinct. Basil was determined not to let that happen*. After resting at Philippopolis, Basil headed south towards Adrianople, which had been plundered by Tsar Samuel while he was in Macedonia. A sorry sight - buildings smoking and collapsing, dead bodies everywhere. Outwardly, Basil's only reaction was to furrow his brows and stroke his whiskers, which he usually did if he was angry or deep in thought. Inside, he was mulling over potential brides. When he was younger, Nikephoros Phokas had betrothed him and Constantine to daughters of Boris II. Even if they were alive, Basil didn't even know their names and he doubted they would appreciate him conquering their homeland. Now he had thought of a better choice - Theophano Balatios, the niece of his second mentor, John Tzimiskes**. Such a marriage would placate the nobles without allowing her family to become intimately related to the royal family the way the Lekapenoi had.
__________________________________________________
*: POD. OTL, Basil never married and his brother and nieces had no male issue, bringing an end to the Macedonian dynasty with Theodora's death in 1056.
**: First major change. John Tzimiskes did have a sister who married Romanos Balatios, and I found the name Theophano Balatios while browsing the CK2 files on Notepad++.
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1002 AD:
When Basil returned to Constantinople he went immediately to the Sacred Palace, Theophano Balatios to the Blachernae Palace while he discussed the matter with his brother. The news of Helena's death barely phased Basil, who brusquely told Constantine to find a new wife or else join a convenant. Surprised and indignant, Constantine caved in to his brother's demands and selected an imperial cousin, Pulcheria Argyros*. He would have chosen her sister, Maria, if not for the fact that she was to be married to Pietro Orseolo, Doux of Dalmatia and son of the Doge of Venice.
After completing his strategy for the next campaign, Basil returned to the Blachernae to spend some time with Theophano alone. Stunned nearly into silence by his proposal, Theophano accepts and is about to swear her vows when Basil shushes her and leads her off to to the bedchambers.
The next day, Basil announces to the court his intention to marry alongside his brother in a week's time. Patriarch Sergius voices his concern at allowing the marriage, until Basil suggests finding a new patriarch who would allow it. At the wedding, the one time Basil would deign himself to wallow in court ceremony, surprisingly, everything went off without a hitch, with both ladies maintaining a regal dignity. Theodora herself attends the wedding and is shocked to see her father marry someone who could pass off as a younger sister. It was then that Basil announced her own betrothal to Prince Bagrat, Duke of Abkhazia and first-in-line to the throne of Georgia ****.
1003-1006 AD:
After the wedding night, it was back to business as usual. Samuel was beginning to lose the respect of his commanders, so much so that the governor of Dyrrachium, Ashot Taronites, surrendered the city to Basil without a fight, cutting the Bulgarians off from the Mediterreanean completely.
Basil's first son is born in 1003, named Romanos, after his biological father, Emperor Romanos II. In 1005 comes a daughter, named Anna after Theophano's mother, John Tzimiskes' sister. The next year, Basil is surprised when Theophano falls pregnant again. It's another son, named Nikephoros for the princes' stepfather. In 1006, Constantine and Anna Argyros finally consummate their marriage, naming the resulting boy Leon, after Anna's father to avoid confusion. In the meantime, Zoe has had three children with Otto III - Otto, Helene and Matilda - and Theodora has had one son with Bagrat - Gurgen.
Soon, Theophano learns to trust the same people her husband did - Manuel Erotikos Komnenos**, Theophylact and Leo Botaneiates*** and the parakoimomenos*/* John the Orphanotrophos. Basil values his wife and children to the extent that he has Varangian guards posted outside the Blachernae at all times.
Progress against the Bulgarians slows down as Samuel fortifies the passes and routes on the borders of his territory. With the throne secure for now, Basil can refocus all his efforts against the Bulgarians. Surely it wouldn't be long now...
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*: Sister of OTL Romanos III Argyros. She tried to help her brother during her reign by controlling Zoe's spending and died after finding out Zoe's affair with Michael the Paphlagonian.
**: Father of Isaac I, grandfather of Alexios I and possible progenitor of the Komnenos dynasty. One Nikephoros Komnenos was arrested and excuted during the reign of Constantine VIII, though his relation to Manuel and his children is unknown.
***: One of them was the father of Nikephoros Botaneiates, OTL Nikephoros III.
*/*: Chief eunuch. John himself was the brother of Michael IV the Paphlagonian and was practically the real power during his brother's reign.
****: Second major change. I'm shunting Theodora off to Georgia so that Basil's wife can die naturally, unlike the original.
Third major change: Basil's major heir is named Romanos instead of John, and I've toned down Basil's hostility towards Nikephoros Phokas, who I think Basil had admiration for.
When Basil returned to Constantinople he went immediately to the Sacred Palace, Theophano Balatios to the Blachernae Palace while he discussed the matter with his brother. The news of Helena's death barely phased Basil, who brusquely told Constantine to find a new wife or else join a convenant. Surprised and indignant, Constantine caved in to his brother's demands and selected an imperial cousin, Pulcheria Argyros*. He would have chosen her sister, Maria, if not for the fact that she was to be married to Pietro Orseolo, Doux of Dalmatia and son of the Doge of Venice.
After completing his strategy for the next campaign, Basil returned to the Blachernae to spend some time with Theophano alone. Stunned nearly into silence by his proposal, Theophano accepts and is about to swear her vows when Basil shushes her and leads her off to to the bedchambers.
The next day, Basil announces to the court his intention to marry alongside his brother in a week's time. Patriarch Sergius voices his concern at allowing the marriage, until Basil suggests finding a new patriarch who would allow it. At the wedding, the one time Basil would deign himself to wallow in court ceremony, surprisingly, everything went off without a hitch, with both ladies maintaining a regal dignity. Theodora herself attends the wedding and is shocked to see her father marry someone who could pass off as a younger sister. It was then that Basil announced her own betrothal to Prince Bagrat, Duke of Abkhazia and first-in-line to the throne of Georgia ****.
1003-1006 AD:
After the wedding night, it was back to business as usual. Samuel was beginning to lose the respect of his commanders, so much so that the governor of Dyrrachium, Ashot Taronites, surrendered the city to Basil without a fight, cutting the Bulgarians off from the Mediterreanean completely.
Basil's first son is born in 1003, named Romanos, after his biological father, Emperor Romanos II. In 1005 comes a daughter, named Anna after Theophano's mother, John Tzimiskes' sister. The next year, Basil is surprised when Theophano falls pregnant again. It's another son, named Nikephoros for the princes' stepfather. In 1006, Constantine and Anna Argyros finally consummate their marriage, naming the resulting boy Leon, after Anna's father to avoid confusion. In the meantime, Zoe has had three children with Otto III - Otto, Helene and Matilda - and Theodora has had one son with Bagrat - Gurgen.
Soon, Theophano learns to trust the same people her husband did - Manuel Erotikos Komnenos**, Theophylact and Leo Botaneiates*** and the parakoimomenos*/* John the Orphanotrophos. Basil values his wife and children to the extent that he has Varangian guards posted outside the Blachernae at all times.
Progress against the Bulgarians slows down as Samuel fortifies the passes and routes on the borders of his territory. With the throne secure for now, Basil can refocus all his efforts against the Bulgarians. Surely it wouldn't be long now...
__________________________________________________
*: Sister of OTL Romanos III Argyros. She tried to help her brother during her reign by controlling Zoe's spending and died after finding out Zoe's affair with Michael the Paphlagonian.
**: Father of Isaac I, grandfather of Alexios I and possible progenitor of the Komnenos dynasty. One Nikephoros Komnenos was arrested and excuted during the reign of Constantine VIII, though his relation to Manuel and his children is unknown.
***: One of them was the father of Nikephoros Botaneiates, OTL Nikephoros III.
*/*: Chief eunuch. John himself was the brother of Michael IV the Paphlagonian and was practically the real power during his brother's reign.
****: Second major change. I'm shunting Theodora off to Georgia so that Basil's wife can die naturally, unlike the original.
Third major change: Basil's major heir is named Romanos instead of John, and I've toned down Basil's hostility towards Nikephoros Phokas, who I think Basil had admiration for.
Possibly. After completing the original, though, I realised things would probably be barely recognisable from OTL - an intact ERE, a centralized HRE, quite possibly a surviving Anglo-Saxon England, and I'm not too experienced in detailing those sorts of things. But we'll see.