Death of Zoe at age of 72, after heavy expenditure during her illness

Summary:
When Zoe's appointed time was complete and she was about to die, her physical constitution showed small preliminary signs. Her desire for food faded and this kindled a fatal fever in her. The wasting of her body was a sign that death was near. She immediately thought of good works: helped prisoners, remitted debts, released from misfortune those condemned, opened the imperial treasuries and let the gold in them flow out like a river. But after a short struggle with death and a slight change in her appearance she relinquished this life, after living seventy-two years. With her three imperial husbands, she had reigned a total of 22 years. She died before Konstantinos IX, and before her sister Theodora gained the throne 
Dates:
1050 
Emperor Konstantinos IX Monomachos (Konstantinos 9)
  • He was the third husband of Zoe 1; with him and her other imperial husbands, Romanos 3 and Michael 4, she ruled a total of 22 years (: ) Lupus protospatharius 59.10-11
  • After the death of Zoe 1, he reigned on with (?) Theodora, for 9 years [5 years for Konstantinos, for Theodora 107 years more] (: ) Lupus protospatharius 59.11-13
Emperor Michael IV Paphlagon (Michael 4)
  • He was the second husband of Zoe 1; with him and her other imperial husbands, Romanos 3 and Konstantinos 9, she ruled a total of 22 years (: ) Lupus protospatharius 59.10-11
Emperor Romanos III Argyros (Romanos 3)
  • He was the first husband of Zoe 1; with him and her other imperial husbands, Michael 4 and Konstantinos 9, she ruled a total of 22 years (: ) Lupus protospatharius 59.10-11
Empress Theodora (Theodora 1)
  • After the death of Zoe 1, Konstantinos 9 reigned on with (?) Theodora, for 9 years [5 years for Konstantinos, for Theodora 107 years more] (: ) Lupus protospatharius 59.11-13
Empress Zoe (Zoe 1)
  • Had already died by the time her sister Theodora 1 took power after the death of Konstantinos 9 Monomachos (in early 1055) προαπεβίω γὰρ ἡ ταύτης αὐταδέλφη Attaleiates: History 51.20-21 / 39.2
  • Died before (her husband) Konstantinos 9 ἡ Ζωὴ γὰρ ἤδη προκατέστρεψε τὴν ζῳήν Skylitzes 478.89-90
  • Had died by the time the emperor (Konstantinos 9) died προκατέλυσε τὸν βίον Glykas 599.5-6
  • Her existence stretched out more than seventy years ὑπὲρ γὰρ τὰ ἑβδομήκοντα ἔτη παρεξετάθη αὐτῇ τὸ βιώσιμον Zonaras 17.28.1
  • When her appointed time was complete and she was about to die, her physical constitution showed small preliminary signs βραχύ τι κατ᾿ αὐτῆς ἡ τῆς φύσεως ἕξις προοιμιάζεται Psellos: Chronographia VI 160.1-3
  • Her desire for nourishment faded, the lack of nourishment increased and kindled a fatal fever in her; the wasting of her body, its fading as it were, was a preliminary sign that death was near τὸ ἐνδεὲς προσθήκην λαμβάνον πυρετὸν αὐτῇ ἀνάπτει ἐπιθανάτιον Psellos: Chronographia VI 160.3-6
  • She immediately thought of the prisons, remitted debts, released from misfortune those condemned, opened the imperial treasuries and let the gold in them flow out like a river ... ποιεῖται δὲ χρεῶν ἀποκοπὰς, ἀπολύει δὲ συμφορῶν τοὺς ἐνοχους αὐταῖς Psellos: Chronographia VI 160.7-10
  • The imperial gold was dispersed unsparingly, intemperately; but after a short struggle with death and a slight change in her appearance she relinquished this life, after living for seventy-two years ἡ δὲ βραχύ τι δυσθανατήσασα καὶ τὴν ὄψιν ἀλλοιωθεῖσα μετατίθησι τὴν ἐνταῦθα ζωήν Psellos: Chronographia VI 160.10-13