Basil I

   Emperor (867-886) and founder of the Macedonian dynasty (q.v.), who came to the throne by murdering his benefactor Michael III (q.v.). He deposed the patriarch Photios (qq.v.) and reinstated Ignatios (q.v.), which helped to restore relations with the papacy (q.v.). His reign was preoccupied with war on several fronts against the Arabs (q.v.). Basil's goal of reconquering southern Italy (q.v.) from the Arabs was accomplished with the aid of Frankish emperor Louis II (q.v.). Arab attacks along the coasts of Dalmatia and Greece (qq.v.) were rebuffed, and Cyprus (q.v.) was occupied for seven years. The one serious setback was in Sicily, where Syracuse (qq.v.) fell to the Arabs. In the East, despite some defeats, a period of systematic advances against the Arabs began with victories in the region of the Euphrates River and against the Paulicians (qq.v.). Basil's internal policy included a plan to completely revise Justinianic law, but this was never realized beyond the introductory Procheiron and Epanagogue (qq.v.). His innovative church called Nea Ekklesia (New Church) has survived only in literary descriptions.