Irlandos at 16:47, November 24, 2005

2005-11-24T16:47:41Z

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'''Eudocia Macrembolitissa''' ([[1021]] - [[1096]]) was the second wife of the [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantine]] emperor [[Constantine X]]. After his death ([[1067]]) she became the wife of [[Romanus IV]]. She was also the niece of [[Michael Cerularius]], [[Patriarch of Constantinople]], whose sister married John Macrembolites.

She married Constantine sometime before [[1050]]. By Constantine she had seven children; one died as a child and two, Constantius and Zoe, were born after Constantine became [[Byzantine emperor]] in [[1059]]. When Constantine died in [[1067]] she was confirmed as regent for their sons [[Michael VII|Michael]] and Constantius, along with Constantine's brother John Ducas. Michael was old enough to rule on his own, but nevertheless was considered co-emperor with his younger brother, while Eudocia ran the administration of the empire.

She had also sworn on Constantine's deathbed not to marry again, and had even imprisoned and exiled Romanus, who was suspected of aspiring to the throne. However, perceiving that she was not able to avert the invasions which threatened the eastern frontier of the empire unaided, she revoked her oath and married Romanus, without the approval of John Ducas, the patriach [[John VIII of Constantinople|John Xiphilinus]], or Michael. The marriage took place on [[January 1]], [[1068]], and Romanus was immediately pronounced co-emperor. With his assistance Eudocia was able to dispel the impending danger. She had two sons with Romanus, Nicephorus and Leo. They too were crowned co-emperors, along with another of Eudocia and Constantine's sons, Andronicus. However, Eudocia she did not live very happily with her new husband, who was warlike and self-willed and increasingly excluded her from power. When he was taken prisoner by the Seljuk Turks at the [[Battle of Manzikert]] ([[1071]]), Eudocia and Michael were declared co-emperors, until it was known that Romanus had survived and was returning to [[Constantinople]]. John Ducas and the Varangian Guard then compelled Eudocia to vacate the throne in favour of Michael and retire to a convent

Michael was deposed in [[1078]] by [[Nicephorus III]], who recalled Eudocia and offered to marry her. This plan did not come to pass, and Eudocia died sometime after the accession of [[Alexius I Comnenus]] in [[1081]].

[[Michael Psellus the younger]] was very close to the family, and Eudocia considered him an "uncle." According to Psellus she was very noble, beautiful, and intelligent.

==Bibliography==
*[[Michael Psellus the Younger]]. ''Chronographia''.
*Lynda Garland, ''Byzantine Empresses: Woman and Power in Byzantium, AD 527-1204''. Routledge, 1999.

[[Category:1021 births]]
[[Category:1096 deaths]]
[[Category:Byzantine people]]

Eudocia Macrembolitissa - Revision history

Irlandos at 16:47, November 24, 2005