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Emperor Basil II

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Monarch

The Resume

    (circa 958-circa December 15, 1025)
    Born in Greece
    Emperor of the Byzantine Empire (963-1025)
    Nicknamed Basil the Bulgar Slayer

Why he might be annoying:

    He was almost always at war.
    His first battle with the Bulgars was a failure.
    He brutally conquered Bulgaria.
    He took 15,000 Bulgar soldiers prisoner.
    He had 99 out of 100 POWs blinded and left the remaining soldiers with one good eye.
    He let the remaining soldiers with one good eye lead the rest of the POWs home. When the Bulgarian ruler encountered them, he died of a heart attack.
    He died while preparing to invade Sicily.

Why he might not be annoying:

    He became emperor at the age of three.
    He raised taxes on the nobles.
    He gave land to poor farmers.
    Despite his wartime tactics, he made Bulgars full citizens of the empire and brought Bulgarian nobles into the Byzantine court.
    He increased the size of the Byzantine empire.
    He was beloved by his armies.

Credit: truffle


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 10 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 6 Votes: 83.33% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 30 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 32 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 6 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 12 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 8 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 19 Votes: 52.63% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 84 Votes: 57.14% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 13 Votes: 76.92% Annoying