958-1025

Basil II, nicknamed the Bulgar Slayer, was the senior Byzantine emperor from 976 to 1025. He and his brother Constantine VIII were crowned before their father Romanos II died in 963, but they were too young to rule. The throne thus went to two generals, Nikephoros Phokas (r. 963–969) and John Tzimiskes (r. 969–976), before Basil became senior emperor, though his influential great-uncle Basil Lekapenos remained as the de facto ruler until 985. His reign of 49 years and 11 months was the longest of any Roman or Byzantine emperor.
One of the most important decisions taken during his reign was to offer the hand of his sister Anna to Vladimir I of Kiev in exchange for military support, thus forming the Byzantine military unit known as the Varangian Guard.