Quote Originally Posted by [b
Quote[/b] (kataphraktoi @ Jan. 16 2004,10:04)]I agree with you about the military families, but between the lesser and greater evil, the military families were surely the greater evil.
Yes I think I agree with your statement. In the end the Basil's stabilisation was necessary, otherwise the newly conquered territories might never have been consolidated. But I still think that Basil should have been succeeded by an aggressive warrior Emperor, so preferably one from the military families. After more conquests, another ‘Basil’ should have risen, and consolidated his predecessor’s achievements.

And then we could have asked ourselves the question how far they would have come, while still keeping the Empire’s integrity. Alas it was not to be. I seriously think that Islam would have fallen, if the reconquest would have been made complete.

One way or the other I think the period of reconquest was one of those major turn points in history; it could have gone either way.

Anyway, I need to get my meal now, I will reply to your second post shortly afterwards.