privy to this act, and the cause was dissatisfaction at the energy which
was displayed by the emperor, who showed that he was determined to take the
administration into his own hands and personally to control the army.
Phocas advanced to the Hellespont and besieged Abydos. Basil obtained
timely aid, in the shape of Varangian mercenaries, from his brother-in-law
Vladimir, the Russian prince of Kiev, and marched to Abydos. The two armies
were facing each other, when Basil galloped forward, seeking a personal
combat with the usurper who was riding in front of his lines. Phocas, just
as he prepared to face him, fell from his horse and was found to be dead.
This ended the rebellion.

The fall of Basileios followed; he was punished with exile and the
confiscation of his enormous property. Basil made ruthless war upon the
system of immense estates which had grown up in Asia Minor and which his
predecessor, Romanus I., had endeavoured to check. (For this evil and the
legislation which was aimed at it see ROMAN EMPIRE, LATER.) He sought to
protect the lower and middle classes.

Basil gained some successes against the Saracens (995); but his most
important work in the East was the annexation of the principalities of
Armenia. He created in those highlands a strongly fortified frontier,
which, if his successors had been capable, should have proved an effective
barrier against the invasions of the Seljuk Turks. The greatest achievement
of the reign was the subjugation of Bulgaria. After the death of Tzimisces
(who had reduced only the eastern part of the Bulgarian kingdom), the power
of Bulgaria was restored by the Tsar Samuel, in whom Basil found a worthy
foe. The emperor's first efforts against him were unsuccessful (981), and
the war was not resumed till 996, Samuel in the meantime extending his rule
along the Adriatic coast and imposing his lordship on Servia. Eastern
Bulgaria was finally recovered in 1000; but the war continued with varying
successes till 1014, when the Bulgarian army suffered an overwhelming
defeat. Basil blinded 15,000 prisoners, leaving a one-eyed man to every
hundred to lead them to their tsar, who fainted at the sight and died two
days later. The last sparks of resistance were extinguished in 1018, and
the great Slavonic realm lay in the dust. The power of Byzantium controlled
once more the Illyrian peninsula. Basil died in December 1025 in the midst
of preparations to send a naval expedition to recover Sic