Basil was a member of the Kamateros family, which provided a number of leading officials in the 12th century.
He initially served under Emperor Manuel I Komnenos (r. 1143–1180) as a diplomat, but after a disastrous mission in Italy, he fell out of favour and was banished.
[1] At the time, Andronikos I was having trouble with Patriarch Theodosius I of Constantinople, who opposed the emperor on a number of issues.
These were the projected marriage of his illegitimate daughter Eirene to Alexios II Komnenos, the illegitimate son of Manuel I, although they were close relatives, as well as the expulsion of the Empress dowager Maria of Antioch from the Great Palace.
He was deposed and condemned by a synod for his approval of Eirene's and Alexios II's marriage.