Basil II outlives his brother Constantine VIII

[Italian Sock Monkey]

Let's say for whatever reason (illness, accident, assassination, etc.) Constantine VIII dies sometime before Basil II but after he fathers Zoe and Theodora. What kind of effect do you think this would have on the Emperor? Would he start taking succession matters more seriously? Would he proclaim Zoe his co-empress? Would he designate a successor?

 

[Carter I'm Yog]

Would he start taking succession matters more seriously?

Yes, since he has only his two nieces left.

Would he proclaim Zoe his co-empress?

A grand chance of zilch here.

Would he designate a successor?

Most likely. Exactly how depends on when does Cons VIII die in this scenario, though it would inevitably involve the marriage of his nieces.

Unless the event that led to Cons VIII's death somehow shook Basil out of his marriage phobia, but that would be worth its own TL.

 

[Italian Sock Monkey]

Unless the event that led to Cons VIII's death somehow shook Basil out of his marriage phobia, but that would be worth its own TL.

I just don't see that happening, as great as that would have been. Whatever compulsion it was that drove Basil to perpetual bachelorhood must have been strong. I'm not sure even the death of his brother would have broken that. However maybe it would have meant that Zoe and Theodora might have actually had children.

 

[Elfwine]

Let's say Constantine dies in the early 1000s, for the sake of Basil having an adult son or grand-nephew at the time he dies (it seems sixteen is old enough to rule without a regent, on the outside edges, and Zoe is probably going to be able to bear a son up to at least 1009).

Basil is not known for being willing to share power, or trusting others in general. I'm not sure he's going to pick someone like Constantine Dalassenos (a competent and strong willed sounding option, but problematic as far as the reigning Emperor goes precisely for that reason) instead of Zoe's OTL husbands, and if he marries I have a time time imagining him being comfortable associating his son with government, or a man of his temperament being a positive influence on a son. Cold, harsh autocrats have an awful track record here.

I'm sure one could write something where Basil does indeed have a qualified successor and the Macedonian dynasty continues, but those would be my personal thoughts as far as likely as opposed to just "possible".

 

[TheLionOfJudah]

I just don't see that happening, as great as that would have been. Whatever compulsion it was that drove Basil to perpetual bachelorhood must have been strong. I'm not sure even the death of his brother would have broken that. However maybe it would have meant that Zoe and Theodora might have actually had children.

I remember hearing from a lecture that it was possible Basil remained unmarried because of a succession pact with his brother. If one chooses to believe that theory, and say his brother dies by say 1000-ish, Basil has room to marry and produce his own heirs, albiet they'd be on the young side after his death.

 

[Italian Sock Monkey]

I remember hearing from a lecture that it was possible Basil remained unmarried because of a succession pact with his brother. If one chooses to believe that theory, and say his brother dies by say 1000-ish, Basil has room to marry and produce his own heirs, albiet they'd be on the young side after his death.

I'm not sure I buy it. Then again, I do think without a clear successor in Constantine, Basil would have had to name one or at the very least (as guardian of his nieces) choose husbands for them. I've often wondered whether it was Constantine, Basil, or both who messed up their marriage prospects.