designation of a second Justinian
(the _Basilica_, a collection of laws in sixty books; and the manuals known
as the _Prochiron_ and _Epanagog[=e]_. For this legislation see BASILICA
and ROMAN EMPIRE, LATER). His financial administration was prudent. His
ecclesiastical policy was marked by a wish to keep on good terms with Rome.
One of his first acts was to exile the patriarch Photius and restore his
rival Ignatius, whose claims were supported by the pope. Yet he had no
intention of yielding to Rome's pretensions beyond a certain point. The
decision of the Bulgarian tsar Michael to submit the new Bulgarian Church
to the jurisdiction of Constantinople was a great blow to Rome, who had
hoped to secure it for herself. In 877 Photius became patriarch again, and
there was a virtual though not a formal breach with Rome. Thus the
independence of the Greek Church may be said to date from the time of
Basil. His reign was marked by a troublesome war with the Paulician
heretics, an inheritance from his predecessor; the death of their able
chief Chrysochir led to the definite subjection of this little state, of
which the chief stronghold was Tephrice on the upper Euphrates, and which
the Saracens had helped to bid a long defiance to the government of
Constantinople. There was the usual frontier warfare with the Saracens in
Asia Minor. Cyprus was recovered, but only retained for seven years.
Syracuse was lost, but Bari was won back and those parts of Calabria which
had been occupied by the Saracens. The last successes opened a new period
of Byzantine domination in southern Italy. Above all, New Rome was again
mistress of the sea, and especially of the gates of the Adriatic. Basil
reigned nineteen years as sole sovereign. His death (29th of August 886)
was due to a fever contracted in consequence of a serious accident in
hunting. A stag dragged him from his horse by fixing its antlers in his
belt. He was saved by an attendant who cut him loose with a knife. His last
act was to cause his saviour to be beheaded, suspecting him of the
intention to kill and not to rescue. Basil is one of the most remarkable
examples of a man, without education and exposed to the most demoralizing
influences, manifesting extraordinary talents in the government of a great
state, when he had climbed to the throne by acts of unscrupulous bloodshed.

SOURCES.--_Vita Basilii_, by his grandson Constantine VII. (bk. v. of the
_Continuation of Theophanes_, ed. Bon