Romanus III - Revision history

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2009-06-01T12:22:54Z

Life

Irlandos: Romanos III moved to Romanus III: consistency

2008-02-04T15:22:09Z

Romanos III moved to Romanus III: consistency

Irlandos at 12:35, September 29, 2006

2006-09-29T12:35:04Z

Irlandos at 10:12, September 4, 2006

2006-09-04T10:12:24Z

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'''[[Romanos III Argyros]]''' or '''[[Romanus III Argyrus]]''' ([[Greek language|Greek]]: Ρωμανός Γ΄ Αργυρός, ''Rōmanos III Argyros''), (968 – [[April 11]], [[1034]]) was [[Byzantine emperor]] ([[November 15]], [[1028]] - [[April 11]], [[1034]]). His last name is Greek for "Silver".

==Life==

Romanos Argyros was the son of an unnamed member of the Argyros family and a great-grandson of Emperor [[Romanus I|Romanos I]]. Under [[Basil II]], Romanos served as judge, and under [[Constantine VIII]] he became prefect of [[Constantinople]]. Romanos attracted the attention of Constantine VIII, who forced him to divorce his wife (sending her into a monastery) and to marry the emperor's daughter [[Zoe (empress)|Zoe]]. The marriage took place on [[November 12]], [[1028]], and three days later Constantine VIII died, leaving Romanos III as emperor.

The new emperor showed great eagerness to make his mark as a ruler, but was mostly unfortunate in his enterprises. He spent large sums upon new buildings and in endowing the [[monk]]s, and in his endeavour to relieve the pressure of taxation disorganized the finances of the state. Idealizing Marcus Aurelius, Romanos aspired to be a new "philosopher king", and similarly desired to imitate the military prowess of Trajan.

In 1030 he resolved to retaliate upon the incursions of the Muslims on the eastern frontier by leading a large army in person against Aleppo, but by allowing himself to be surprised on the march sustained a serious defeat at Azaz near Antioch. Though this disaster was retrieved by the capture and successful defence of Edessa by [[George Maniaces|George Maniakes]] in 1032 and by the defeat of a Saracen fleet in the Adriatic, Romanus never recovered his popularity.

As a member of the aristocracy, Romanos III abandoned his predecessors' curtailment of the privileges of the nobility and reduced their taxes, at the same time allowing peasant freeholders to fall into a condition of serfdom. In a vain attempt to reduce expenditure, Romanos limited his wife's expenses, which merely exacerbated the alienation between the spouses.

At home Romanos III faced several conspiracies, mostly centered around his sister-in-law [[Theodora (11th century)|Theodora]], as in 1029 and 1030. Although he survived these attempts on the throne,
his early death in 1034 was supposed to have been due to poison administered by his wife, though it has also been alleged that he was drowned in a bath on his wife's orders.

==Family==
By his first wife Helena, Romanos III Argyros had a daughter:
* (unnamed) Argyra, who was engaged to Henry III, Holy Roman Emperor.
By his second wife Zoe, Romanos III had no children.

==Bibliography==
*(primary source) [[Michael Psellus]], ''Chronographia''.
* ''The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium'', Oxford University Press, 1991.
* {{1911}}

== External links ==
* [http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/byz/romanus_III/t.html Romanus coinage]

{{start box}}
{{succession box | before=[[Constantine VIII]] | title=[[Byzantine Emperor]] | years=1028–1034 | after=[[Michael IV the Paphlagonian|Michael IV]]}}
{{end box}}

{{Credit wikipedia}}

[[Category:968 births]]
[[Category:1034 deaths]]
[[Category:Macedonian dynasty]]
[[Category:Byzantine emperors]]

@@ Line 3: / Line 3: @@
 ==Life==
-Romanos Argyros was the son of an unnamed member of the Argyros family and a great-grandson of Emperor [[Romanus I|Romanos I]].  Under [[Basil II]], Romanos served as judge, and under [[Constantine VIII]] he became prefect of [[Constantinople]].  Romanos attracted the attention of Constantine VIII, who forced him to divorce his wife (sending her into a monastery) and to marry the emperor's daughter [[Zoe (empress)|Zoe]].  The marriage took place on [[November 12]], [[1028]], and three days later Constantine VIII died, leaving Romanos III as emperor.
+Romanos Argyros was the son of an unnamed member of the [[Argyros family]] and a great-grandson of Emperor [[Romanus I|Romanos I]].  Under [[Basil II]], Romanos served as judge, and under [[Constantine VIII]] he became prefect of [[Constantinople]].  Romanos attracted the attention of Constantine VIII, who forced him to divorce his wife (sending her into a monastery) and to marry the emperor's daughter [[Zoe (empress)|Zoe]].  The marriage took place on [[November 12]], [[1028]], and three days later Constantine VIII died, leaving Romanos III as emperor.
 The new emperor showed great eagerness to make his mark as a ruler, but was mostly unfortunate in his enterprises. He spent large sums upon new buildings and in endowing the monks, and in his endeavour to relieve the pressure of taxation disorganized the finances of the state.  Idealizing Marcus Aurelius, Romanos aspired to be a new "philosopher king", and similarly desired to imitate the military prowess of Trajan.

← Older revision	Revision as of 15:22, February 4, 2008
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@@ Line 5: / Line 5: @@
 Romanos Argyros was the son of an unnamed member of the Argyros family and a great-grandson of Emperor [[Romanus I|Romanos I]].  Under [[Basil II]], Romanos served as judge, and under [[Constantine VIII]] he became prefect of [[Constantinople]].  Romanos attracted the attention of Constantine VIII, who forced him to divorce his wife (sending her into a monastery) and to marry the emperor's daughter [[Zoe (empress)|Zoe]].  The marriage took place on [[November 12]], [[1028]], and three days later Constantine VIII died, leaving Romanos III as emperor.
-The new emperor showed great eagerness to make his mark as a ruler, but was mostly unfortunate in his enterprises. He spent large sums upon new buildings and in endowing the [[monk]]s, and in his endeavour to relieve the pressure of taxation disorganized the finances of the state.  Idealizing Marcus Aurelius, Romanos aspired to be a new "philosopher king", and similarly desired to imitate the military prowess of Trajan.
+The new emperor showed great eagerness to make his mark as a ruler, but was mostly unfortunate in his enterprises. He spent large sums upon new buildings and in endowing the monks, and in his endeavour to relieve the pressure of taxation disorganized the finances of the state.  Idealizing Marcus Aurelius, Romanos aspired to be a new "philosopher king", and similarly desired to imitate the military prowess of Trajan.
 In 1030 he resolved to retaliate upon the incursions of the Muslims on the eastern frontier by leading a large army in person against Aleppo, but by allowing himself to be surprised on the march sustained a serious defeat at Azaz near Antioch. Though this disaster was retrieved by the capture and successful defence of Edessa by [[George Maniaces|George Maniakes]] in 1032 and by the defeat of a Saracen fleet in the Adriatic, Romanus never recovered his popularity.
@@ Line 22: / Line 22: @@
 *(primary source) [[Michael Psellus]], ''Chronographia''.
 * ''The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium'', Oxford University Press, 1991.
-* {{1911}}
 == External links ==