5 – Basil II (976 – 1025)
Basil II was born in Constantinople in 958 and is credited with being the longest reigning Byzantine Emperor. Unlike some other entries on this list, Basil was born into royalty as the son of Emperor Romanos II. His father died when Basil was five years old, so the empire was ruled by Nikephoros II Phokas for six years until he was murdered in 969. John I Tzimisces held the crown until his death in 976. By now, Basil was old enough to lead the empire, so he became the new Byzantine ruler.
During his near 50 year reign, the Byzantine Empire reached its peak regarding power and wealth. Upon his succession, Basil was faced with a declining empire with threats from the Fatimids and Bulgars. After suffering a number of setbacks against the Fatimids, Basil took control of the army and launched several incursions into enemy territory. Eventually, a ten-year truce was agreed in 1000.
Perhaps his biggest military achievement was his complete subjugation of the Bulgars who had been raiding Byzantine land since 976. Basil found the enemy to be obstinate, and he was forced to embark on a campaign that lasted several decades. He was able to redouble his efforts after making peace with the Fatimids and decided upon total conquest of Bulgaria. Basil earned a decisive victory at the Battle of Kleidion in 1014 where he also showed his cruel side by blinding 99% of the 15,000 prisoners he captured in one eye. Bulgaria finally submitted to the Byzantines in 1018. When he died in 1025, his work was quickly undone as none of his successors possessed his military intelligence.
Basil was very much a soldier-emperor who despised the literary classes. He was loved by his men as he not only campaigned with them; he also ate the same rations as they did. Basil never married nor did he have children. However, he protected the kids of dead soldiers, and they came to look upon him as a father figure. He was also very popular with the farmer classes which supplied the majority of the army’s men. By the time of his death, the imperial treasury had over 200,000 pounds of gold thanks to his conquests and prudence.