16,951
edits
Changes
m
link
Among Leo VI's first actions, after his succession, was the reburial of Michael III in Constantinople. This action may have contributed to the suspicion that Michael was his father. Leo was selective in his appointments of officials in his government and, although there were some conflicts, was able to control the great aristocratic families. He completed work on the ''Basilica'', an update of Justinian I's code that was begun by Basil I. The ''Basilica'' was written in Greek. Leo disliked dishonesty. [[Bishop]] Liutprand of Cremona related how Leo would disguise himself and walk that capital looking for corruption and injustice.
In 886, with his accession to the throne, Leo dismissed Patr. Photius for having taken Basil's side during Leo's altercations with Basil. In December 886, Leo replaced Photius with his brother, [[Stephen I of Constantinople|Stephanus I]]. After Stephanus' death in 893, Leo placed [[Anthony II of Constantinople|Antony II Kauleas]] on the patriarchal throne. Then, after his death, Antony was succeeded by Leo's imperial secretary, [[Nicholas MysticusI Mystikus of Constantinople|Nicholas I Mysticus]], in 901.
In foreign affairs, Leo was less successful. He was forced to make commercial concessions and pay tribute to Simeon I of Bulgaria in 896. He lost the last Roman outpost in Sicily in 902. Oleg of Novgorod attacked Constantinople in 907 in an attempt to force Leo to grant him trading rights, but was beaten back. After a second attack in 911, Leo finally signed a trade agreement with Oleg.
