What if Basil the Bulgar slayer fails to dethrone the bulgars as emperors of Rhomania.
When would this be?
Basil's younger brother is the next in line to the throne, and depending on his age, he might be convinced to (re)marry to sire sons - or marry off his daughters while they're still capable of bearing children.
Any defeat that sees the death of an emperor would be a dreadful blow to the Byzantines, but I'm not entirely sure Samuel can do anything about it. Seize some of the areas regained by the Byzantines previously (before Basil II's time, that is), but Constantinople is just as much a barrier as it ever was.
Exactly. No one ever conquered Constantinople until the advent of the cannons. Well I think anyway. Weren't the fourth Crusaders already within the walls before they sacked the city?
No. They did, however, have seapower on their side - also not there for the Bulgars.
Your right my bad. But my point is still there. The Bulgars wouldn't be able to take Constantinople, even if they took all of the Empire's European territories. Hell at that point in history there wasn't even an Italian Navy to rent, so the Bulgars could besiege Constantinople for years but would eventually be forced to leave, either militarily or because of needs within their Empire, and the Byzantines could begin to slowly retake their lost lands. However, it would require a good general or a different Emperor. Perhaps both, with Zoe being married off to a powerful and skilled general.
Any idea WHEN Basil would die in such a scenario?