patriarch of Constantinople, was one of the finest geniuses of his time, and his merit raised him to the patriarchate; for Bardas having driven Ignatius from the see, Photius was consecrated by Athanasius in 859. He condemned Ignatius in a synod, whereupon the pope excommunicated him, and he, to balance the account, anathematized the pope. Basilus of Macedon, the emperor whom Photius had reproved for the murder of Michael the late emperor, expelled him, and restored Ignatius; but afterwards re-established Photius, upon Ignatius's death, in 878. At last, being wrongfully accused of a conspiracy against the person of Leo the philosopher, son and successor to Basilus, he was expelled by him in 886, and supposed to have died soon after. He wrote a Bibliotheca, which contains an examination of 280 authors: we have also 253 epistles of his; the Nomacanon under 14 titles; an abridgement of the acts of several councils, &c. This great man was born in Constantinople, and was descended from a very illustrious and noble family. His natural abilities were very great, and he cultivated them with the greatest fidelity.