Nikephoros II Phokas
Nikephoros II Phokas (Νικηφόρος Φωκᾶς; c. 912 – 11 December 969), Anglicised Nicephorus II Phocas, was Byzantine emperor from 963 to 969. His career, not uniformly successful in matters of statecraft or of war, nonetheless greatly contributed to the resurgence of the Byzantine Empire during the 10th century. In the east, Nikephoros completed the conquest of Cilicia and retook the islands of Crete and Cyprus, opening the path for subsequent Byzantine incursions reaching as far as Upper Mesopotamia and the Levant; these campaigns earned him the sobriquet "pale death of the Saracens".
| Nikephoros II Phokas | |
|---|---|
| Emperor and Autocrat of the Romans | |
Nikephoros II Phokas on a 15th-century manuscript, Biblioteca Marciana, Venice | |
| Byzantine emperor | |
| Reign | 16 August 963 – 11 December 969 |
| Predecessor | Romanos II |
| Successor | John I |
| Born | c. 912 Cappadocia |
| Died | 11 December 969 (aged 57) Constantinople |
| Burial | |
| Spouse | Theophano |
| Dynasty | Phokas |
| Father | Bardas Phokas |
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