Emperor Konstantinos VIII M X / E XI
κυροῦ Κωνσταντίνου الملك قسطنطين (Konstantinos 8)
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Narrative (87) Before 1025Married the daughter of Alypios 101 (Helena 103 ) before the death of Basileios 2 ἣν ἔτι ζῶντος τοῦ Βασιλείου ἡρμόσατο Skylitzes 374.33-34 Banned civil judges from hearing cases brought in by members of the clergy: in association with Basileios 2 ἐν τοῖς ἐγγράφοις αὐτῶν τυπικοῖς Alexios Stoudites Rhalles-Potles 5.29 Lost his wife Helena 103 by her death; his daughters were brought up in the palace Zonaras 17.10.7 While a young man, married Helena 103 , daughter of Alypios 101 and had three daughters by her Zonaras 17.10.7 On the death of Ioannes 1 , the empire passed legitimately to him: in association with Basileios 2 περιίσταται δὲ καθαρῶς ἡ βασιλεία εἴς τε Βασίλειον καὶ Κωνσταντῖνον Psellos: Chronographia I 1.5 He and Basileios 2 did not it think fit for both to be autokrator, but the elder of them, Basileios 2 , girded on the entirety of the power and appointed him partner in the name alone of empire: in association with Basileios 2 Αὐτοκράτορε μὲν οὖν ἄμφω οὐκ ἐδοκιμασάτην εἶναι, ... μόνου τοῦ τῆς βασιλείας ὀνόματος τὸν ἀδελφὸν ἐκληρώσατο κοινωνόν Psellos: Chronographia I 2.6-9 Although it was possible for him to share his ancestral inheritance - that is, the rule - on equal terms with Basileios 2 , he ceded most of it to him, even though he was young, when lust for rule is especially kindled ἐξὸν κατ’ ἰσομοιρίαν τὸν πατρῷον κλῆρον, τὴν ἡγεμονίαν φημί, τῷ ἀδελφῷ διανείμασθαι, ὁ δὲ τοῦ πλείονος αὐτῷ παρακεχωρήκει Psellos: Chronographia I 2.12-16 Ceded most of his inheritance to Basileios 2 , even though seeing that Basileios 2 was not yet past the span of youth, but only newly bearded Psellos: Chronographia I 2.14-18 Was present in the battle-line (against Bardas Phokas) and was part of the infantry, clad in a breastplate and wielding a long spear: in association with Basileios 2 οὐδὲ ... ἀπῆν τῆς παρεμβολῆς· ἀλλὰ καὶ οὗτος θώρακά τε περιβαλλόμενος καὶ δόρυ μακρὸν ἐπισείων, μέρος τῆς φάλαγγος ἦν Psellos: Chronographia I 14.3-6 When Bardas Phokas learned that he was in the battle-line (at Abydos), he decided to delay the fight no longer but made that day sovereign judge of the war: in association with Basileios 2 τοὺς βασιλεῖς διατεταγμένους ... εἰς τὴν παράταξιν Psellos: Chronographia I 15.3-7 Advanced a short distance in front of the infantry (at Abydos), wielding a long spear βραχὺ δέ τι καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς Κωνσταντῖνος δόρυ μακρὸν ἐπισείων προῄει τῆς φάλαγγος Psellos: Chronographia I 16.8-10 Boasted that he had killed Bardas Phokas himself ἑαυτῷ τὴν τοῦ τυράννου ἐμεγαλαύχει ἀναίρεσιν Psellos: Chronographia I 16.17-19 Basileios 2 behaved disdainfully not only to others, but even to him, allocating him only a small bodyguard, as if he begrudged a more elevated and brilliant array; Basileios subdued him by gradually diminishing his authority ἐχειροῦτο διὰ τῆς βραχὺ παραλλαττούσης εἰς τὸ χεῖρον ἀρχῆς Psellos: Chronographia I 22.10-16 When still young, at the time Basileios 2 became master of the office of autokrator, married Helena 103 νέαν ἔτι ἄγων τὴν ἡλικίαν, ὁπότε ὁ ἀδελφὸς αὐτῷ Βασίλειος ἐγκρατὴς ἐγεγόνει τῆς αὐτοκράτορος ἀρχῆς Psellos: Chronographia II 4.1-4 Helena 102 bore him three daughters Psellos: Chronographia II 4.6-7 Basileios 2 felt affection and strong love for Eudokia 101 , Theodora 1 and Zoe 1 , but took no more noble care for them; while guarding the power for him, he put their care in Konstantinos' hands τῷ ἀδελφῷ τὸ κράτος φυλάττων ἐπ’ ἐκείνῳ τὴν περὶ τούτων φροντίδα ἔθετο Psellos: Chronographia II 4.10-13 Basileios 2 left him to enjoy the charms of the countryside, pleasures of bathing, and hunting, things that mattered to him χαίρειν ἀφεὶς ἀγρῶν τε χάρισι καὶ λουτρῶν ἀπολαύσεσι καὶ κυνηγεσίοις, ὧν ἐκεῖνος ἐφρόντιζεν Psellos: Chronographia I 22.16-18 1025 Certainty: 3 Konstantinos VIII was called to the deathbed of Basileios II to receive power & discuss his funeral Certainty: 3 Certainty: 3 Death of Basileios II; accession of Konstantinos VIII Certainty: 3 Certainty: 3 Death of Basileios II; accession of Konstantinos VIII Certainty: 3 Certainty: 1 Inadequate plans of Konstantinos VIII for the future of his daughters Certainty: 1 Certainty: 1 Konstantinos VIII suspected rebels everywhere & blinded them (unspecific) Certainty: 1 Certainty: 2 Konstantinos VIII pursued a past vendetta against Konstantinos Bourtzes by blinding him Certainty: 2 Certainty: 2 Konstantinos freed political prisoners & promoted the elite to new dignities Certainty: 2 Certainty: 1 All unpaid taxes cruelly exacted by Konstantinos VIII Certainty: 1 1026 Certainty: 2 Konstantinos appointed to the highest positions worthless persons, often his own eunuchs Certainty: 2 Certainty: 1 Konstantinos promoted Romanos (III) Argyropoulos to patrikios & eparchos Certainty: 1 Certainty: 1 Nikephoros Komnenos fought Saracens in Media, but was dismissed & imprisoned Certainty: 1 Certainty: 1 Bardas Phokas (grandson of Bardas) condemned for treason on trumped-up charge & blinded Certainty: 1 Certainty: 1 Revolt of people of Naupaktos against strategos brutally put down Certainty: 1 Certainty: 1 List of persons suspected of revolt & punished, mostly by blinding Certainty: 1 Certainty: 3 Novel of Konstantinos VIII & Alexios Stoudites on punishment of rebels Certainty: 3 1027 Certainty: 2 Pecheneg invasion of Bulgaria driven back across Danube by Konstantinos Diogenes Certainty: 2 Certainty: 2 After a year of captivity, Nikephoros Komnenos & eight colleagues were blinded Certainty: 2 Certainty: 2 Georgian attempt to recover fortresses from Byzantium was stopped by parakoimomenos Nikolaos (Symeon) Certainty: 2 Certainty: 1 Iberian magnates expelled from estates by Niketas of Pisidia; grants of dignities in western lands Certainty: 1 Certainty: 2 Basileios Skleros quarelled with Prousianos: both exiled, then Skleros was blinded (?) & Prousianos freed Certainty: 2 1028 Certainty: 3 Konstantinos VIII, suddenly ill, chose Konstantinos Dalassenos as son-in-law & successor Certainty: 3 Certainty: 3 Konstantinos VIII turned to Romanos Argyros as successor: his wife became a nun Certainty: 3 Certainty: 2 Konstantinos VIII as he died handed to Kyriakos a document for Bagratids on heritability of their rule Certainty: 2 Certainty: 3 Romanos (III) married Zoe Certainty: 3 Certainty: 3 Death of Konstantinos VIII; accession of Romanos III Certainty: 3 Certainty: 2 Romanos III increased church revenues & abolished allelengyon Certainty: 2 Certainty: 2 Synod to support metropolitan Ioannes of Melitene against Yuhanna, Jacobite archbishop of Antioch Certainty: 2 1034 Certainty: 2 Kiwrakos sold to Michael IV the letter on the future of the Armenian kingdom Certainty: 2 1042 Certainty: 3 Michael V banished Zoe to Prinkipo Certainty: 3 1043 Certainty: 2 Psellos wrote Orationes panegyricae 2 for Konstantinos IX, with summary of recent history Certainty: 2 Unassigned Activities Death (14) Description (69) Dignity/Office (26) Education (1) Kinship (71) Location (7) Possession (1) Alternative Name (1)