AH: Basil the Bulgar Slayer has a son

Basil only blinded (counting the ones left with one eye) 14 or 15 thousand. Only part of Samuel's army. And after finishing conquering Bulgaria, he governed it with a light hand.

Anyway, let's say Basil has a son. Let's say his son is thirty or so when the old man bumps off.

Great, the Macedonian dynasty isn't dependent on an old pleasure lover and his mostly useless daughters.

But Basil having a son doesn't necessarily help matters. His son might as easily be - and I'd wager is more likely to be - an Edward II to Basil's Edward Longshanks than a man in his father's mold, especially as Basil seems like the sort that would be very, very, very hesitant to trust his son anymore than anyone else with any power or responsibility.
 
Maybe the Empire falls completely due to lack of competence on behalf of the son, maybe the Empire reclaims Sicily, Sardinia, and Naples among other places. Depends on how the kid turns out.
 
If the kid is as half as competent as his father and same for his children as well, i can see Byzantium surviving longer.
 
Maybe the Empire falls completely due to lack of competence on behalf of the son, maybe the Empire reclaims Sicily, Sardinia, and Naples among other places. Depends on how the kid turns out.

Anyone so incompetent as the OTL wives of Zoe would just be overthrown, though. He wouldn't have a chance to lose the empire.
 
If the son is compotent and lives a while and has compotent children and grandchildren, he could do miracles.
 
If the son is compotent and lives a while and has compotent children and grandchildren, he could do miracles.

Not something I'd count on, though. And it still leaves the Turkish issue - yes, the Turks were gunning for the Fatamids. Do the Byzantines really want that to happen? No.
 
Not something I'd count on, though. And it still leaves the Turkish issue - yes, the Turks were gunning for the Fatamids. Do the Byzantines really want that to happen? No.

Depending on the Byantines mood and leader, the Turks could be left alone and the Byzantines could only the attack the Turkish bands that invade.
 
Depending on the Byantines mood and leader, the Turks could be left alone and the Byzantines could only the attack the Turkish bands that invade.

The problem isn't whether the Byzantines leave the Turks alone, the problem is whether or not the Turks leave the Empire and its interests and vassals alone.
 
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