Basil Peteinos () was a senior

Byzantine The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...

official under Emperor

Constantine VII Porphyrogennetos Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus (; 17 May 905 – 9 November 959) was the fourth Emperor of the Macedonian dynasty of the Byzantine Empire, reigning from 6 June 913 to 9 November 959. He was the son of Emperor Leo VI and his fourth wife, Zoe Kar ...

, who led an abortive conspiracy against

Romanos II Romanos II Porphyrogenitus ( gr, Ρωμανός, 938 – 15 March 963) was Byzantine Emperor from 959 to 963. He succeeded his father Constantine VII at the age of twenty-one and died suddenly and mysteriously four years later. His son Bas ...

in 961.

Biography

According to the account of

John Skylitzes John Skylitzes, commonly Latinized as Ioannes, la, Johannes, label=none, la, Iōannēs, label=none Scylitzes ( el, Ἰωάννης Σκυλίτζης, ''Iōánnēs Skylítzēs'', or el, Σκυλίτση, ''Skylítsē'', label=none ; la, ...

, which offers the most details on his life, Basil Peteinos was a childhood friend and confidant of

. By 944, he was serving as a member of the imperial bodyguard, the , when he became a leading member in the plot of

Stephen Lekapenos Stephen Lekapenos or Lecapenus ( grc-gre, Στέφανος Λεκαπηνός, Stéphanos Lekapenós; died 18 April 963) was the second son of the Byzantine Empire, Byzantine emperor Romanos I Lekapenos (r. 920–944), and co-emperor from 924 to ...

and

Constantine Lekapenos Constantine Lekapenos or Lecapenus ( grc-gre, Κωνσταντῖνος Λακαπηνός, Kōnstantínos Lakapenós) was the third son of the Byzantine emperor Romanos I Lekapenos (), and co-emperor from 924 to 945. With his elder brother Steph ...

to depose their father, the ruling senior emperor

Romanos I Romanos I Lekapenos ( el, Ρωμανός Λεκαπηνός; 870 – 15 June 948), Latinized as Romanus I Lecapenus, was Byzantine emperor from 920 until his deposition in 944, serving as regent for the infant Constantine VII. Origin Romanos ...

(). According to the historians, Peteinos was acting on behalf of Constantine VII, urging the two brothers to complete the deed. Indeed, on 20 December 944, Romanos I was deposed and banished to a monastery, but within weeks, the two Lekapenoi brothers were outmanoeuvred and sent to join their father by Constantine VII, who now became sole emperor. As a reward, Peteinos was given the high rank of , and made commander of the (). The history of

Theophanes Continuatus ''Theophanes Continuatus'' ( el, συνεχισταί Θεοφάνους) or ''Scriptores post Theophanem'' (, "those after Theophanes") is the Latin name commonly applied to a collection of historical writings preserved in the 11th-century Vat. g ...

claims that Peteinos conspired against Constantine VII as well, was discovered, and exiled, but this is incorrect. Indeed, Peteinos was a high-ranking member of Constantine VII's court; according to the

hagiography A hagiography (; ) is a biography of a saint or an ecclesiastical leader, as well as, by extension, an adulatory and idealized biography of a founder, saint, monk, nun or icon in any of the world's religions. Early Christian hagiographies migh ...

of Luke the Stylite, he was later promoted to the highest court rank, that of , was a friend of Patriarch Theophylact of Constantinople () and was healed by Luke from a kidney disease. While remaining loyal to Constantine VII throughout the latter's reign, after his death in 959, he led a conspiracy against Constantine's son and successor,

(). The conspiracy apparently encompassed several leading members of the court, with the purpose of assassinating Romanos II and raising Peteinos to the throne instead. The plot was revealed in March 961 by one of the conspirators, leading to the arrest of all participants. Peteinos was spared the torture inflicted on the others, but they were all publicly humiliated by being paraded through the streets of

Constantinople la, Constantinopolis ota, قسطنطينيه , alternate_name = Byzantion (earlier Greek name), Nova Roma ("New Rome"), Miklagard/Miklagarth (Old Norse), Tsargrad ( Slavic), Qustantiniya (Arabic), Basileuousa ("Queen of Cities"), Megalopolis (" ...

, before being

tonsure Tonsure () is the practice of cutting or shaving some or all of the hair on the scalp as a sign of religious devotion or humility. The term originates from the Latin word ' (meaning "clipping" or "shearing") and referred to a specific practice in ...

d and exiled. The others were pardoned by Romanos II, but Peteinos remained in banishment on the island of

Prokonnesos Marmara Island ( ) is a Turkish island in the Sea of Marmara. With an area of it is the largest island in the Sea of Marmara and is the second largest island of Turkey after Gökçeada (older name in Turkish: ; el, Ίμβρος, links=no ''Im ...

until his death.

References

Sources

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Peteinos, Basil 10th-century Byzantine people 10th-century deaths Patricii Magistroi Prisoners and detainees of the Byzantine Empire Byzantine prisoners and detainees Constantine VII Byzantine usurpers Megaloi hetaireiarchai