Theophano - Revision history

Irlandos: /* Betrayal */

2007-10-31T12:08:56Z

Betrayal

Irlandos: /* Betrayal */

2007-10-31T12:03:34Z

Betrayal

Irlandos: /* Partnership with Nicephorus Phocas */

2007-10-31T12:00:18Z

Partnership with Nicephorus Phocas

Irlandos: /* Downfall */

2006-12-30T18:42:23Z

Downfall

Irlandos: /* Becoming Empress */

2006-12-30T18:40:38Z

Becoming Empress

Irlandos: /* Downfall */

2006-01-09T18:02:55Z

Downfall

Irlandos at 18:01, January 9, 2006

2006-01-09T18:01:12Z

New page

'''Theophano''' was a Byzantine empress. She was the wife of [[Romanus II]]; wife and murderer of [[Nicephorus Phocas]]; lover of [[John I Tzimisces ]]; the mother of [[Basil II ]] and [[Constantine VIII]].

==Becoming Empress==

This unusually beautiful but utterly amoral woman played an important role in the Byzantine history. She was an innkeeper's daughter and her real name was Anastaso. Around [[956]] , the emperor [[Romanus II]] fall in love with her and marries her, subsequently renaming her Theophano.

==Partnership with Nicephorus Phocas==

On March 15, 963, Emperor Romanus II unexpectedly died at the age of twenty-six. His sons [[Basil II]] and [[Constantine VIII]] were heirs and Theophano was named regent. However she realized that to secure power she needed to align her interest with the strongest general at the time, [[Nicephorus Phocas]]. As the army had already proclaimed him as a Emperor in Cesarea, Nicephorus entered Constantinople on August 15, broke the resistance of Joseph Bringas ( a eunuch palace official who had become Romanus' chief council) in bloody street fights, and on 16 August he was crowned in [[Hagia Sophia]]. After that he married Theophano. This way he obtained legitimacy by connecting to the [[Byzantine_Emperors#Macedonian_dynasty|Macedonian dynasty]].

==Betrayal==
However, not too long after, she became lover to a young and brilliant general, John Tzimisces. They soon began to conspire against Nicephorus . She prepared the assassination and John and his friends implemented it on the night between 10 and 11 December 969. The emperor was now [[John I Tzimisces]] (969-976)

==Downfall==
But Theophano was badly miscalculated in the hope of becoming the wife of the new ruler. Slain Nicephorus found his avenger in the Patriarch Polieukt, who was determined to punish the crime. He demanded John to repent, to punish the murderers (his helpers and friends), and to remove Theophano from the court. John was forced to submit to Patriarch’s requests. Only then he was allowed to enter in church and complete his crowning ceremony.

Theophano was sent to exile and was back in the capital not before her sons acceded to the throne.

==Sources==
History of the Byzantine State by Georgije Ostrogorski

[[Category:Byzantine empresses]]
[[Category:Macedonian dynasty]]

@@ Line 10: / Line 10: @@
 ==Betrayal==
-However, not too long after, she became lover to a young and brilliant general, John Tzimisces. They soon began to conspire against Nicephorus . She prepared the assassination and John and his friends implemented it on the night between 10 and [[11 December]] [[969]]. The emperor was now [[John I Tzimisces]] ([[969]]-[[976]])
+However, not too long after, she became lover to a young and brilliant general, John Tzimisces. They soon began to conspire against Nicephorus . She prepared the assassination and John and his friends implemented it on the night between [[December 10|10]] and [[11 December]] [[969]]. The emperor was now [[John I Tzimisces]] ([[969]]-[[976]])
 ==Downfall==

@@ Line 15: / Line 15: @@
 But Theophano was badly miscalculated in the hope of becoming the wife of the new ruler. Slain Nicephorus found his avenger in the Patriarch Polieuctus, who was determined to punish the crime. He demanded John to repent, to punish the murderers (his helpers and friends), and to remove Theophano from the court. John was forced to submit to Patriarch’s requests. Only then he was allowed to enter in church and complete his crowning ceremony.
-Theophano was sent to exile and was back in the capital not before her sons acceded to the throne.
+Theophano was sent to exile and did not return to the capital until her sons acceded to the throne.
 ==Sources==

@@ Line 7: / Line 7: @@
 ==Partnership with Nicephorus Phocas==
-On March 15, 963, Emperor Romanus II unexpectedly died at the age of twenty-six. His sons [[Basil II]] and [[Constantine VIII]] were heirs and Theophano was named regent. However she realized that to secure power she needed to align her interest with the strongest general at the time, [[Nicephorus Phocas]]. As the army had already proclaimed him as a Emperor in Cesarea, Nicephorus entered Constantinople on August 15, broke the resistance of Joseph Bringas ( a eunuch palace official who had become Romanus' chief council)  in bloody street fights, and on 16 August he was crowned in [[Hagia Sophia]]. After that he married Theophano. This way he obtained legitimacy by connecting to the [[Byzantine_Emperors#Macedonian_dynasty|Macedonian dynasty]].
+On [[March 15]], [[963]], Emperor Romanus II unexpectedly died at the age of twenty-six. His sons [[Basil II]] and [[Constantine VIII]] were heirs and Theophano was named regent. However she realized that to secure power she needed to align her interest with the strongest general at the time, [[Nicephorus Phocas]]. As the army had already proclaimed him as a Emperor in Cesarea, Nicephorus entered Constantinople on [[August 15]], broke the resistance of Joseph Bringas (a eunuch palace official who had become Romanus' chief council)  in bloody street fights, and on [[16 August]] he was crowned in [[Hagia Sophia]]. After that he married Theophano. This way he obtained legitimacy by connecting to the [[Byzantine_Emperors#Macedonian_dynasty|Macedonian dynasty]].
 ==Betrayal==

@@ Line 3: / Line 3: @@
 ==Becoming Empress==
-This unusually beautiful but utterly amoral woman played an important role in the Byzantine history. She was an innkeeper's daughter and her real name was Anastaso. Around [[956]] , the emperor [[Romanus II]] fall in love with her and marries her, subsequently renaming her Theophano.
+This unusually beautiful but utterly amoral woman played an important role in the Byzantine history. She was an innkeeper's daughter and her real name was Anastasia. Around [[956]] , the emperor [[Romanus II]] fell in love with her and married her, subsequently renaming her Theophano.
 ==Partnership with Nicephorus Phocas==