Although Emperor Michael preferred wining, dining, and horse racing to the governing of his empire, he was beginning to feel that his uncle Bardas, who had maneuvered himself into a position of authority, had too much power. To counter Bardas's influence, Michael appointed an unschooled, but very ambitious, Macedonian stable hand named Basil to the post of high chamberlain. Basil, realizing quickly that Bardas would be an obstacle to his further advancement, hatched a plan. He asked Bardas to join a military expedition to Crete that he and the emperor were undertaking. To reassure Bardas that there was no treachery involved, Michael and Basil swore before Patriarch Photios, the most important priest in the land, that they both would guarantee Bardas's safety. Still, as he approached the tent set up for the emperor on Crete, Bardas found himself feeling just a little uneasy.

What Life Was Like Amid Splendor and Intrigue tells the riveting story of Basil's ruthless rise to power and many other compelling tales of the men and women of the Byzantine Empire. One volume in a series on world history from Time-Life Books, Amid Splendor and Intrigue focuses on the daily lives of the Byzantine people in their capital of Constantinople as well as in the empire's provinces in Europe and Asia Minor. From contemporary letters, diaries, church and government documents, and other historical sources come fascinating accounts of commoners and kings, among them Constantine I, the powerful ruler who broke with Roman tradition and allowed Christians to practice their religion without fear, the poor thematic soldier, Mousoulios, who faced a lifetime of punishment for want of a horse, and the empress Zoe, who shocked her subjects time and again with her scandalous behavior. Accompanying the narrative are full-color photographs of brilliant mosaics, lifelike carved-ivory reliefs, vivid tapestries, and detailed painted illustrations from the period that help bring to life Byzantium's people, places, and events.

For this series, the editors and researchers of Time-Life Books have delved deeply into the collections of scholars, travelers, museums, and universities in order to assemble an accurate depiction of daily life. Every volume in the series is richly illustrated with art and artifacts, as well as detailed reconstructions and maps of buildings, towns, and the world as it was. An in-depth introduction and an accessible timeline open each book to provide a panoramic perspective of the era. Brought together in an original and appealing way, each detail, image, anecdote, and historical nugget offers you a unique experience-what life was like.

From the dust jacket