Nicephoros II Phocas

Nikephoros

Banned
What are the likely affects of Nicephoros Phocas avoiding his assasination?

I have read that he was the best general of his time. Was he also a good administrator?
 
What are the likely affects of Nicephoros Phocas avoiding his assasination?

I have read that he was the best general of his time. Was he also a good administrator?

The only way that Nicephorus II avoids assassination is that by eliminating somehow his ruthless Empress Theophano... Without her John Tsimiskes Domesticus Scholae wouldnt dare to challenge his long time friend (and uncle) Nicephorus II... Dont forget that Theophano was accused (possibly falsely) for the deaths of Constantine VII and Romanus II... Even if this is a slander (which propably is...) Theophano was a danger for the Empire anyway...
 
Was he also a good administrator?

No. Phocas was a terrible diplomat, and plunged relations between Eastern and Western empires to the worst they had been in decades, as well as irritating the Papacy and increasing Byzantium's isolation in Christendom. For the empire it was a shame he was assassinated but certainly not a catastrophe, his immediate successors John Tzimiskes and Basil II were both equally competent Emperors.
 
Actually Theophano married him in a hurry after the sudden death of Romanus II... Praepositus Iosif Bringas (who was a eunuch and couldnt claim the throne for himself) was trying to usurp the Crown for his brother... Theophano needed a superb (and popular) General to protect her and her infant children... Nicephorus was recalled from Syria and was smart enough to bring his army with him... Nicephorus wasnt planning to be crowned Emperor in the first place... He would act as guardian for the infant co-Emperors Basil II and Constantine VII and then stepped down... But alas he was seduced by the young widow Empress and was pressed by the army to accept the crown...
 
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