The Greek word basileus means king, and is at the heart of a bunch of words.  For example, basilisk (Greek for little king) is the monstrous reptile that long ago was said to wear a crown-shaped crest on its head, basilica (originally, a tribunal chamber for a king), and the herb basil.  Basil is said to be the king of all herbs, and may have been an ingredient in some royal perfume.  Being the king of herbs doesn’t sound very glamorous.  It falls somewhere in between The King of Queens and the king of utensils (the fork, apparently).