βασιλεύς, a title assumed by the emperors of Constantinople, exclusive of all other princes, to whom they give the title rev, "king." The same quality was afterwards given by them to the kings of Bulgaria, and to Charlemagne, from the successors of which last they endeavoured to wrest it back again.

The title basileus has been since assumed by other kings, particularly the kings of England, Ego Edgar totius Anglie basileus confirmavi. Hence also the queen of England was entitled Basilea and Basiliaca.

BASILIAN monks; religious of the order of St Basil. That saint, having retired into a desert, in the province of Pontus, founded a monastery for the convenience of himself and his numerous followers: and for the better regulation of this new society, he drew up in writing the orders and rules he would have them follow. This new order soon spread all over the east; nor was it long before it passed into the west. The rule of St Basil was approved by Pope Liberius, the fame Basilian, year in which it was written and published; and afterwards by several other popes; and, in these last ages, by Pope Gregory XIII., who approved the abridgement made of it by Cardinal Beffaron, in the pontificate of Eugenius IV.—Some authors pretend, that St Basil, before he died, saw himself the spiritual father of more than 90,000 monks, in the east only. But this order, which flourished so greatly for more than three centuries, was afterwards considerably diminished by heresy, schism, and a change of empire. The greatestiform it felt, was in the reign of Constantine Copronymus; who persecuted the monks of St Basil, imprisoning some, and banishing others; insomuch that the monasteries were abandoned and spoiled of all their goods.

The historians of this order tell us, that it has produced 1805 bishops; and beatified, or acknowledged as saints, 3012 abbots, 11,805 martyrs, and an infinite number of confessors and virgins. They likewise place among the religious of the order of St Basil 14 popes, some cardinals, and a very great number of patriarchs, archbishops, and bishops. This order likewise boasts of several emperors and empresses, kings and queens, princes and princesses, who have embraced its rule.

This order was introduced in the west in 1057; and was reformed in 1569, by Pope Gregory XIII., who united the religious of this order in Italy, Spain, and Sicily, into one congregation; of which the monastery of St Saviour at Messina is the chief, and enjoys pre-eminence over the rest. Each community has its particular rule, besides the rule of St Basil, which is very general, and prescribes little more than the common duties of a Christian life.