Theophano, Byzantine Empress. Byzantine literature of the vii-ix centuries
Empress of the Holy Roman Empire, wife of Emperor Otto II the Red, since 983 regent under her son, Emperor Otto III
Origin
For a long time it was believed that Theophano was the daughter of the emperor of Byzantium (either Roman II and his wife Theophano, or Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus). However, there is no mention of its "porphyrogenicity". Most sources do not speak of her royal origin, and the annals of Monte Cassino speak of Theophano as the niece of Emperor John I of Tzimiskes.
According to modern studies, Theophano's father was Constantine Sklir (Greek ???????????? ???????), brother of the famous military leader Barda Sklira (d. 991), who rebelled against Emperor Basil II several times. Bulgarian fighters. Theophano's mother was Sophia Fokina (Greek ????? ???????), niece of Emperor Nicephorus II Phocas. The sister of Constantine Sklira, Maria Sklirena (Greek ????? ?????????) was the first wife of Emperor John I of Tzimiskes, who thus turned out to be Theophano's uncle by marriage.
Marriage to the heir to the Holy Roman Empire
Nothing is known about her childhood. She received a good education, contemporaries characterized her as a modest, beautiful, intelligent, eloquent and educated girl. She was fluent, along with her native Greek, Latin, and later quickly learned German... She was a connoisseur of ancient masters, knew the works of poets and thinkers of her time.
Since 967, the Holy Roman Emperor Otto I the Great negotiated with Byzantium about the marriage of his son and heir, Otto II, crowned in the same year by the imperial crown, with the Byzantine princess Anna, daughter of Emperor Roman II. For this, Otto I was ready to return Apulia, subordinate to Byzantium. However, it was only after the assassination of Emperor Nicephorus II Phocas in 969 that negotiations got off the ground. The new emperor, John I Tzimiskes, was interested in peace with Otto for internal political reasons. As a result, in 972 the parties came to an agreement according to which Otto renounced Apulia, but kept Benevento and Capua, for which his son was promised the hand of a Byzantine princess. However, it was not Anna who became her, but Theophano, the niece of John himself.
At the beginning of 972, Theophano, accompanied by a large retinue and with gifts from the Byzantine emperor, arrived in Apulia, from where, accompanied by a special embassy sent by Otto I to meet her, she was escorted to Rome, where the emperor's court was at that time. On April 14, 972, at St. Peter's Basilica, Theophano was married to Otto II by Pope John XIII, who also anointed and crowned her with the imperial crown.
The empress
During the reign of her husband, Feofano appeared in documents as his co-ruler ("consors regni" or "coimperatrix"). It is known that she constantly accompanied her husband on his campaigns and had a considerable influence on him.
After the death of her husband on December 7, 983, their young son, Otto III, who was crowned royal crown on Christmas Day 983 in Aachen, became the new ruler of the empire. Since Theophano and the mother of Otto II, Adelheida, had not yet returned from Italy, the three-year-old king was temporarily transferred to the care of Archbishop Varin of Cologne. Several people immediately claimed custody of Otto, including the former Duke of Bavaria, Henry II the Grumpy, Otto III's closest male relative. Henry for the uprising against Otto II was deprived of his possessions and sent to Utrecht under the supervision of the bishop, but after the death of the emperor he was freed and took the little king from Varin. Most of the nobility initially supported Henry, but after he was proclaimed king by his supporters on March 23, 984, a group of nobles was formed, led by Archbishop Mainz Willigis. As a result of his efforts, with the support of the Saxon nobility, Otto III was handed over to his mother, Theophano, who returned from Italy.
(959-963) and Nicephorus II Phocas (963-969), mother of Emperor Basil II the Bulgarians (976-1025), his brother Constantine VIII (1025-1028) and Anna, married to the Grand Duke of Kiev Vladimir Svyatoslavich.
Biography
Notes (edit)
Literature
- Schlumberger, "Un empereur Byzantin au X siècle, Nicéphore Phocas" (P., 1890) and its continuation: "L'Epopée Byzantine" (I, 1896).
- Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: In 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - SPb. : 1890-1907.
- Young Guard, 2004 .-- 356 p. - (Life of Remarkable People: Series of Biographies; Issue 1095 (895)). - 5000 copies. - ISBN 5-235-02660-8
- Leo the Deacon. History . - M .: Nauka, 1988 .-- ISBN 5-02-008918-4
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- Theophano (disambiguation)
- Theophano (Holy Roman Empress)
See what "Theophano (Empress of Byzantium)" is in other dictionaries:
Theophano (Holy Roman Empress)- Wikipedia has articles about other people named Theophano. Theophano Greek. Θεοφανώ lat. Theophanu ... Wikipedia
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Theophano (disambiguation)- Theophano (Greek Θεοφανώ) can mean: Theophano (d. 895/897) the wife of the emperor of Byzantium Leo VI the Wise Theophano (d. After 976) the empress of Byzantium, the wife of the emperors Roman II the Young and Nicephorus II Phocas Theophano (956 991) the Empress of the Holy ... ... Wikipedia
The tale of Cinderella, in which the handsome prince fell in love, has been stirring the minds of young and not so virgins for many years. Variations on this theme appear from time to time on TV screens and on the pages of books. Is this possible in real life? There are plenty of examples!
In the 10th century in Byzantium she lived and worked as a representative of the most ancient profession, but was simply a prostitute, the daughter of the innkeeper Anastasia. They say she was beautiful and a good specialist in her profession) Therefore, they invited her to various feasts to entertain guests. And at one of these drunks she managed to meet a handsome prince, heir to the Byzantine throne - Roman, the son of Constantine Porphyrogenitus. Either Anastasia was very smart that she managed to fall in love with the prince, or Roman was so stupid that he fell in love with a whore, or love knows no barriers and other pink vanilla, but the fact remains.
Feofano. Mosaic.
Surprisingly, permission for marriage was obtained, although one of the most educated people of his era, Emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitus, wanted his son not the same wife. In 958 Roman and now Feofano were married. So, here she is in the palace, here she entered the imperial family, sometime in the future her husband will become the emperor, and she is the empress. It would seem, what more could you want? Authorities. Right here and now. In 959, Constantine Porphyrogenitus dies and rumors circulate around the city that the cause was poison from the hands of Theophano. Is it true or not? One thing is clear, the father-in-law and the daughter-in-law had a difficult relationship.
Theophano, poisoning Constantine Porphyrogenitus. Madrid Skylitzes.
Roman II Young on the throne, his beautiful wife by his side. The new emperor ascended the throne at the age of 21 and was, frankly, a rather weak ruler. All that interested him was feasts, hunting and entertainment. Therefore, his 18-year-old wife took up the consolidation of power - she sent the mother and sisters of the emperor to the monastery. And you never know, the Byzantine throne is shaky and there are many who want to sit on it, especially with the support of other children of Constantine Porphyrogenitus. In fact, she was in charge of the country at that moment - people who were pleasing to her were appointed to government posts, and ill-wishers exiled to hell.
Death of Roman II. Unknown author, 13th c.
A leisurely lifestyle undermined Roman's health. He died in 963. Feofano is left alone with four children in her arms. She, of course, immediately becomes regent, but it is foolish to expect that no one will try to snatch the hated empress from the hands of many. Moreover, the contenders for it are right there. Feofano, using all his skill from past life, made a bet on Nikifor Foku. I don’t know what this woman was capable of, but the great commander, who put hordes of enemies to flight, surrendered under the spell of Theophano. With her help, and with the help of his army, he became the next emperor of Byzantium and immediately married Theophano.
Nikifor Foka
If Nicephorus Phocas was a good general, then he was a bad emperor. During the years of his reign, the country was mired in endless ruinous wars, people starved and began to grumble. In the 6th year of his reign, Theophano realized that this was the end. Nicephorus will soon be removed from the throne, and with him her. She needs a new emperor, and she found him. Found and miscalculated ...
Coronation of John Tzimiskes. Madrid Skylitzes.
John Tzimiskes, nephew of Nicephorus Phocas and concurrently lover of Theophano, organized a conspiracy against the current emperor. Nicephorus is killed, on the throne John, who was by no means a fool in love, like his predecessor. He understood perfectly well that a woman who survived three emperors would outlive him. Unless you take action. And he took action - Theophano was declared the murderer of Nicephorus Phocas and was exiled to a cell on the island of Antigoni. Ironically, from her new habitat, she could clearly see the palace where she was once the empress. Cruel by John, isn't it?)
From that moment the sunset of Theophano began. But she is only 28 years old! Of course, she fled from this island, tried to enchant John Tzimiskes, but was exiled again. Now to Armenia. She returned to Constantinople only in 976, when her son Vasily II the Bulgarian fighter took the throne. Since then, nothing is known about Feofano, apparently the son went to his mother and did not want to share power with anyone, even with her.
Theophano's two sons were alternately emperors of Byzantium - Vasily II and Constantine VII, and daughter Anna became the wife of the Kiev prince Vladimir.
- Biography
- Notes (edit)
- Literature
Biography
The future queen was born in Laconia. Her biography is similar to a historical novel: this, according to Lev Deacon, "the most beautiful, seductive and sophisticated woman of her time, equally distinguished by her beauty, abilities, ambition and depravity", was the daughter of a Constantinople shinkar, in whose institution she worked as a prostitute. Originally it was named Anastaso. She captivated the young heir to the throne, Roman, who had lost his minor, nominal wife Bertha; having completely mastered his heart, Theophano reached the royal throne.
After the death of Roman's father, Constantine Porphyrogenitus, Theophano forced Roman to expel from the palace his sisters, educated princesses, and imprison them in the monastery walls. Roman's mother, Queen Elena, briefly experienced this grief. Devoted to pleasures, Roman did not reign for long; apparently, even during his life, Theophano struck up relations with the commander Nikifor Foka, and the old warrior completely succumbed to her charms. Upon the death of Roman, Theophano was proclaimed regent for her young sons; but soon Nicephorus seized the throne. Nicephorus, observing prudent chastity, ordered the Sinchell Antony the Studite to transfer Theophano from the imperial palace to the palace in Blachernae. However, on September 20, discarding all pretense, he married Theophano.
After 6 years, a conspiracy was formed against the harsh and unsociable Nicephorus, headed by Theophano and her lover, a brilliant associate of Nicephorus, John Tzimiskes. Nicephorus was brutally killed, Tzimiskes seized the throne. But Theophano was mistaken in her accomplice, who immediately expelled her from the palace, at the request of the patriarch Polievktos, outraged by their crime; Feofano was taken from the palace to
(963-969), mother of the emperor Basil II the Bulgarians(960-1025) and his brother Constantine VIII(962-1028), mother Feofano, Empress of Germany, and Anna married to a Kiev prince Vladimir Svyatoslavovich... She was the daughter of a Constantinople shinkar, but managed to become one of the most sophisticated women of her time, equally distinguished by her beauty, abilities, ambition and depravity. She carried away the young heir to the throne, Roman, who had lost his minor, nominal wife, Bertha, and, taking possession of his heart, reached the royal throne. After the death of Roman's father, the emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus, Theophano forced Roman to expel from the palace his sisters, educated princesses, and imprison them in a monastery. Roman's mother, Empress Sophia, could not survive this grief and soon died. Devoted to pleasures, Roman did not reign for long; apparently, even during his lifetime, Theophano entered into contact with the commander Nikifor Foka. After the death of Roman, Theophano was proclaimed regent of her young sons, but soon the throne was taken by Nikifor Phocas, who married Theophano. After six years of the reign of Nicephorus II, a conspiracy was formed against him, headed by Theophano and her lover, a brilliant associate of Nicephorus II, the commander John Tzimiskes... Nicephorus was brutally killed in his chambers, and Tzimiskes took possession of the throne. But Theophano miscalculated: Tzimiskes, at the request of the patriarch, outraged by this crime, immediately expelled her from the palace. Theophano was sent into exile in a remote Armenian monastery and returned from there by Emperor Basil II only after the death of Emperor John I Tzimiskes, in 976. However, she no longer played any role in politics.
Byzantine dictionary: in 2 volumes / [comp. Common Ed. K.A. Filatov]. SPb .: Amphora. TID Amphora: RHGA: Publishing house of Oleg Abyshko, 2011, vol. 2, p. 428-429.
Theophano (after 940 -?, Empress Regent March - August 963)
The accusations of Tzimiskes of the involvement of August Theophano in the murder of Nicephorus II were enough for the Synclite, together with the patriarch, to decide to remove her from the regency and exile her to one of the distant monasteries. Upon learning of her fate, the enraged empress in the temple Hagia Sophia rushed at John and tried to gouge out his eyes, and when she was hardly dragged away, she began to scold him and Vasily Nof in a way that no other man could have done - the youth spent in the tavern had an effect.
Theophano remained in the monastery until the removal of Vasily Nof - only then did Emperor Vasily II dare to return a woman with such a gloomy reputation to the court. The tsar settled his mother in the palace, but she apparently did not exert much influence on the course of real politics.
Feofano's image has served as a source of inspiration for many novelist writers. However, in fairness, it should be noted that her characterization as a poisoner and another Messalina is doubtful, and much is attributed to Theophano.
