What is Basil I?
{{Infobox royalty|name=Basil I|image=Roman Emperor Basil I.png|caption=Portrait of Emperor Basil I|succession=[[List of Byzantine Emperors|Byzantine Emperor]]|reign=24 September 867 – 29 August 886|full name=Basil|predecessor=[[Michael III]]|successor=[[Leo VI (emperor)|Leo VI]]|religion=[[Chalcedonian Christianity]]|birth_place=Chariopolis, Macedonia, Eastern Roman Empire|death_date=29 August 886 (aged 75)|death_place=[[Constantinople]], [[Byzantine Empire|Eastern Roman Empire]]|birth_date=c. 811|title=[[List of Byzantine Emperors|Emperor of the Romans]]|house=[[Macedonian]]|house-type=Dynasty|image_size=230px|consort=[[Eudokia Ingerina]]|spouse-type=Wives|spouse=Maria <br/> [[Eudokia Ingerina]]}}Basil I, also nicknamed the Macedonian ([[Medieval Greek|Greek]]: Βασίλειος ὁ Μακεδών, c. 811 - 29 August 886) was a [[Byzantine Emperor]] 24 September 867 – 29 August 886. Born a lowly peasant in of Macedonia, he rose power and influence in the imperial court after entering into the service of Theophilitzes, a relative of Emperor [[Michael III]] (r. 842–867). He was given a fortune by the wealthy Danielis and gained Michael's favour, whose mistress he married on his emperor's orders. In 866, Michael proclaimed him co-emperor, but Basil ordered his assassination, thus installing himself as sole ruler of the empire. [[Category:Byzantine emperors]] [[Category:810s births]] [[Category:880s deaths]]