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So I was looking at the list of Byzantine usurpers on Wikipedia, and reading through them, and it strikes me that many were nearly successful, but failed at the last minute. I'm not planning to write a timeline about any of these, but I'm curious to know the best guesses as to how these usurpers could win, and what would happen if they did.

1) Thomas the Slav: It seems he had one of the most successful failed usurpations, if that makes any sense. Of the usurpers that failed, Thomas the Slav seemed to be the closest to succeeding. So what happens if he becomes emperor, and how?

2) Constantine Doukas: Not the OTL emperor, but a different one. He seems to have almost gained the throne, and was in Constantinople itself before dying in what amounted to a street fight between his followers and the followers of the regency.

3) Bardas Phokas: He also seemed to have a large amount of support, though he died of a stroke or something similar in battle against Basil II. But what if he defeated and killed Basil II?

4) Bardas Skleros: He was dangerous enough to send another rebel, Phokas himself, out to defeat him. So what if he won?

5) George Maniakes: Maniakes seemed to be an extremely talented commander, though he had a furious temper. What if he wasn't killed in battle?

6) Nikophoros Bryennios the Elder: He seems to have gotten close, but the conduct of his troops managed to alienate the residents of Constantinople from him. So what if he somehow avoids that?

7) Theodore Komnenos Doukas: Ruler of Epirus, and would-be emperor. He attacked the Bulgarians who were otherwise his allies, and was captured and defeated completely. What if he decides to focus on the Latin Empire first?

8) Basil the Copper-Hand: Just for fun, I doubt there's any way to make him Emperor, but if there is, what happens next?
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