Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus

Abstract

Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus (lived 905-59 CE) was a Byzantine emperor of the Macedonian Dynasty (crowned co-emperor probably May 15, 908). His nickname alludes to the purple room of the imperial palace where legitimate children of reigning emperors were born. Constantine was the son of Leo VI and his concubine Zoe Karbonopsina, whom Leo married as his fourth wife shortly after the birth of Constantine. This illegal union provoked the controversy known as the Tetragamy of Leo VI (Oikonomidès 1963: 46-52). In 912 Leo died and was succeeded by his brother Alexander, with Constantine VII as the nominal co-emperor. Alexander deposed Euthymios, the patriarch who had condoned Leo's fourth marriage, and reinstated Nicholas Mystikos, the patriarch who had been deposed by Leo for condemning the marriage. The implication of this act was that the marriage was illegal and that Constantine was illegitimate. Nevertheless, on the sudden death of Alexander on June 6, 913, Constantine succeeded to the throne at the age of seven. His reign was interrupted by the rule of the admiral of the imperial fleet and usurper Romanos I Lecapenos (920-44), who married his daughter Helena to Constantine in May 919 and was crowned on December 17, 920. Romanos was dethroned by his own sons Stephen and Constantine on December 20, 944 and exiled to the island Protos. On January 27, 945 Constantine VII expelled Romanos' sons and began his personal rule (Toynbee 1973: 1-14). Constantine died in November 959 and was succeeded by his son, Romanos II (959-63). Constantine's main political interests lay in legal reform and the fair redistribution of land among the peasants; he proclaimed a complete rupture with his father-in-law's