Who was Basil II and what was his nickname?

Basil II was a Byzantine Emperor who ruled from 976 to 1025 CE. He was born in 958 in Constantinople, the youngest son of Emperor Romanos II. Basil II came to power with his brother Constantine VIII as co-emperor, and upon his brother's death in 1025, he became the sole ruler of the Byzantine Empire.

Basil II was known for his military campaigns against various enemies of the Byzantine Empire, including the Bulgars, who he fought against for more than 30 years. His most famous victory was the Battle of Kleidion in 1014, where he defeated the Bulgarian army and ordered the blinding of 15,000 Bulgarian soldiers, leaving one in every hundred with one eye to lead his comrades back home. This earned him the nickname of 'Bulgar-slayer'.

Basil II was also known for his administrative reforms, which strengthened the centralized power of the Byzantine Empire. He reorganized the administration of the provinces, improved the taxation system, and tried to regulate the market prices.

Basil II died in 1025, without any legitimate heirs to succeed him. He was succeeded by a series of weak emperors, which contributed to the eventual decline and fall of the Byzantine Empire.

Basil II Porphyrogenitus (Greek: Βασίλειος Πορφυρογέννητος Basileios Porphyrogennetos; 958 – 15 December 1025), nicknamed the Bulgar Slayer (Greek: ὁ Βουλγαροκτόνος, ho Boulgaroktónos), was the senior Byzantine emperor from 976 to 1025. He and his brother Constantine VIII were crowned before their father Romanos II died in 963, but they were too young to rule. The throne thus went to two generals, Nikephoros Phokas ( r. 963–969) and John Tzimiskes (r. 969–976) before Basil became senior emperor, though his influential great-uncle Basil Lekapenos remained as the de facto ruler until 985.

Basil II was a skilled military leader and administrator. He is best known for his wars against the Bulgarian Empire, which he finally conquered in 1018. He also expanded the Byzantine Empire into the Balkans and Anatolia. Basil II was a ruthless ruler, but he was also a capable one. He is considered one of the greatest Byzantine emperors.

His nickname, "The Bulgar Slayer," was given to him for his decisive victory over the Bulgarian Empire in 1018. The Bulgarians had been a major threat to the Byzantine Empire for centuries, and Basil II's victory finally put an end to their power.