Emperor Basil: The Bulgar-Slayer Who Blinded a Whole Army

In 1014, after a decisive victory over the Bulgarian Empire at the Battle of Kleidion, Byzantine Emperor Basil II made a decision that would echo through history. Thousands of captured Bulgarian soldiers were blinded, with one man in every hundred left with a single eye to guide the others home. When Tsar Samuel saw the shattered remnants of his army return, he is said to have suffered a fatal stroke just two days later.

Whether every detail unfolded exactly as later chroniclers described remains a subject of historical debate, but the story cemented Basil's legacy forever. He would be remembered not as "the Great," but as Bulgaroktonos—the Bulgar-Slayer.

In this episode of History Shorts, we examine one of the most infamous episodes of the medieval world, separating legend from evidence while exploring what it reveals about Byzantine warfare, imperial power, and the values of an age far removed from our own.

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