Basil I vs Levon I of Armenia

Basil I, a co-emperor under Michael III, orchestrated the murder of Michael in his palace. Basil then became sole emperor, founding the Macedonian dynasty. This act ended the Amorian dynasty and initiated a period of Byzantine resurgence.

Basil I launched a campaign against the Arabs in southern Italy, capturing the city of Bari and establishing the Theme of Longobardia. This restored Byzantine control over parts of Italy and strengthened the empire's position in the Mediterranean.

Basil I commissioned the Prochiron, a legal manual, and the Epanagoge, a revised law code. These works aimed to simplify and update Roman law, replacing the earlier Ekloga and reinforcing the emperor's authority. They influenced later Byzantine legal development.

Levon I conquered the fertile Cilician plain from the Byzantine Empire and local Armenian lords. This territorial expansion provided the economic and agricultural base for his kingdom and secured access to the Mediterranean coast.

Levon I formed alliances with the Crusader states, particularly the Principality of Antioch. He married Sibylla of Lusignan and established close ties with the Knights Templar and Hospitaller, integrating Cilician Armenia into the Crusader political system.

Levon I issued a legal code that combined Armenian customary law with elements of Byzantine and Frankish law. This code regulated feudal relations, trade, and criminal justice, and became the foundation of Cilician Armenian jurisprudence.

Levon I was crowned King of Armenian Cilicia by the Archbishop of Mainz, acting on behalf of the Holy Roman Emperor, and also received recognition from the Byzantine Empire. This coronation established the Kingdom of Cilician Armenia as a sovereign state.