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LEFT BASHAN 437 BASILICA the papal chair (Jan. 24, 1438). The re- moval of Eugenius, however, seemed so impracticable, that some prelates, in- cluding the Cardinal Legate Juliano, left Basel, and went over to the party of Eugenius. The Archbishop of Aries, Cardinal Louis Allemand, was now made First President of the Council. In May, 1439, it declared Eugenius a heretic and formally deposed him. Excommunicated by Eugenius, they elected the Duke Am- adeus of Savoy to the papal chair. Felix V. — the name he adopted — was acknowl- edged by only a few princes, cities, and universities. After this the moral power of the Council declined; it was dissolved May 7, 1449, when it gave in its adhe- sion to Nicholas V., the successor of Eu- genius. The decrees of the Council of Basel are admitted into none of the Ro- man collections. They are regarded, however, as of authority in points of canon law in France and Germany, as their regulations for the reformation of the Church have been adopted in the pragmatic sanctions of both countries. BASHAN, a rich, hilly district, lying E. of the Jordan, and between the moun- tains of Hermon on the N., and those of Gilead and Ammon on the S The coun- try takes its name ("fat," "fruitful") from its soft and sandy soil. It is cele- brated in Scripture for its stately oaks, fine breeds of cattle, and rich pasturage. Modern travelers describe the country as still abounding with verdant and fertile meadows. Bashan was assigned, after the conquest of Og and his people, to the half tribe of Manasseh. From it came the Greek name Batanaea, in mod- ern Arabic El-Bottein. But this latter only included its S. part. The ancient Bashan covered the Roman provinces named Gaulonites, Trachonites, Auran- ites, Batanaea, and Iturasa. BASHKIRTSEFF, MARIE (bash- kerts'ef), a Russian author, born in Russia in 1860; came of a noble and wealthy family, went to Italy to study singing, and to Paris to study art. Her fame rests on her private "Journal," begun in her thirteenth year, which seems to have been written with ultimate publication in view. She died in Paris in 1884. BASIC SLAG, the slag or refuse matter which is obtained in making basic steel, and which from the phosphate of lime it contains is a valuable fertilizer. BASIL, a labiate plant, ocymum hasiliciim, a native of India, much used in cookery, especially in France, and known more particularly as sweet or common basil. Bush or lesser basil is O. minimum; wild basil belongs to a dif- ferent genus, being the calamintha clino- podium. BASIL I., The Macedonian, Emperor of the East, was of low origin, but ob- tained employment at the court of the Emperor Michael III., became his cham- berlain, murdered his rival, Bardas, then Michael, and succeeded him in 867. He governed wisely, and compiled a body of laws called the Basilica^ which, aug- mented by his son and successor, Leo the Philosopher, were in force till the fall of the empire. Basil I. deprived Photius of the See of Constantinople, and re- stored Ignatius, on whose death he recalled Photius. He successfully car- ried on war with the Saracens. Died in 886. BASIL II., Emperor of the East, was son of Romanus II., and with his brother, Constantine, was first associated in the empire by John Zimisces, and succeeded him in 976. His long reign was a series of wars with his rivals, Bardas, Scler- nus, and Phocas, with the Saracens and Bulgarians. The war ended in 1019, by the complete conquest of Bulgaria. Died in 1025. BASIL, ST., surnamed The Great, Bishop of Caesarea, in Cappadocia, where he was born about 326. He was study- ing at Athens in 355. After extensive travels, St. Basil retired to the Desert of Pontus, and there founded an order of monks. He succeeded Eusebius in the See of Caesarea in 370, and by his oppo- sition to Arian doctrines greatly offended the Emperor Valens. He died in 380. BASILAN, the largest island of the Sulu Archipelago, Philippine Islands. Basilan is about 36 miles long and sit- uated S. of Mindanao. It is separated from Mindanao by a strait only 9 miles wide. This island is very mountainous, and most of it is covered by virgin for- ests. The soil is extremely rich and pro- duces cotton, coffee, sugar, chocolate, to- bacco, indigo, and spices of all sorts. Pop. about 8,000. The name Basilan is also applied to the whole group of 34 adjacent islets. The leading port is Isabela, on Basilan Strait. BASILICA, originally the hall or court-room in which the King admin- istered the laws made by himself and the chiefs who formed his council. When the Christian religion was made the state religion in Rome many of these build- ings were given up to the new sect; the arrangement of that portion of the in- terior where the official business was conducted easily lending itself to tha Christian ritual. In some of the oldest