Certainty: 2 Death of Zoe at age of 72, after heavy expenditure during her illness. 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
Certainty: 2 Zoe was buried in a most beautiful tomb. Konstantinos' devotion to Zoe can best be seen in the beautiful tomb he built for her. One of the little silver-plated columns round her tomb took in moisture at a point where the metal had split and in accordance with natural laws produced a little mushroom. Konstantinos, full of enthusiasm, filled the palace with the cry that the Lord had wrought a miracle at her tomb, so that all might know that her soul was numbered among the angels. Everyone realised the truth, but all encouraged his fervour, some in fear and others making the lie a chance to enrich themselves
Certainty: 2 Konstantinos IX was deeply moved by Zoe's death. The death of Zoe inspired deep emotions in Konstantinos IX, connected with her tomb and with memories of her imprisonment on Prinkipo. Not only did he mourn her, pour libations of tears on her tomb and propitiate heaven on her behalf, but he wished to accord her God-like honours. He mourned her more like a boy than a man. Psellos was impressed by Konstantinos' profound grief at the time of her death
Certainty: 2 Konstantinos openly recognised his mistress (an Alan princess), naming her sebaste. After the death of Skleraina, Konstantinos IX fell under the spell of a girl who lived in Constantinople as a hostage from Alania. She was not beautiful, but had white skin and flashing eyes. He named her sebaste and made her very wealthy. When her kin from Alania visited the capital, two or three times a year, Konstantinos showed her off almost as an empress, and gifts were given on all sides. Before the death of Zoe, he kept his passion secret; later, he moved her into the palace and recognised her openly. But for the disapproval of Theodora and extreme canonical condemnation of fourth marriages, he would have married her and made her empress
Certainty: 2 Synod at Siponto. Pope Leo IX came to Siponto and held a synod
Certainty: 3 Pechenegs attacked Adrianople; Byzantines under Konstantinos hetaireiarches debated tactics. Konstantinos IX was upset at the news of the annihilation of his troops at the hands of the Pechenegs. He again gathered an army and planned to make amends in the following year, when he appointed Konstantinos hetaireiarches as strategos autokrator and sent him against them. The hetaireiarches took the troops recently arrived from the east, gathered those wintering in the west, and encamped at Adrianople to plan his campaign. Informed by his guards of an imminent attack by Pechenegs marching on Adrianople, he met his commanders in his tent to decide whether to engage in battle or not. But Samuel Bourtzes took matters into his own hands
Certainty: 2 Basilike Libas: tactics pre-empted by Samuel Bourtzes, who attacked, then demanded aid when in difficulty. Basilike Libas: After discussions on how to fight the Pechenegs, Roman tactics were pre-empted by Samuel Bourtzes, who took his foot-soldiers, went out of the encampment (at Adrianople), and attacked. Then, when in difficulties, he persistently demanded aid. As Bourtzes' troops were growing weary, Konstantinos the hetaireiarches was unwillingly compelled to join battle with the Pechenegs on adverse terms at Basilike Libas
Certainty: 2 Basilike Libas: Bourtzes lost battle for Byzantines; they ended shamefully besieged in their camp. ******
Certainty: 2 (Basilike Libas): Byzantines were too defensive in highly cultivated area, nearly losing their camp. ******
Certainty: 2 Losses on both sides at Basilike Libas were few but prominent: Areianites, Dokeianos, Soultzous. Among the comparatively few losses at the battle of Basilike Libas were Konstantinos Arianites, who was seriously injiured in the lungs and died three days later; Michael Dokeianos, who was captured and taken before the Pecheneg leader, whom he suddenly wounded badly, then was cut to pieces and died a horrible but heroic death; on the Pecheneg side, Soultzos was killed by a catapult bolt, along with his horse, a blow to the Pechenegs which stopped them capturing the Roman camp
Certainty: 2 Basilike Libas: next day Byzantines were only saved by reinforcements, some at hand, some expected.
Certainty: 2 Konstantinos IX dismissed Konstantinos Leichoudes in favour of Ioannes logothetes. Konstantinos IX had appointed Konstantinos Leichoudes as his mesazon, giving him supreme power. But he gradually came to envy and resent him. Leichoudes often refused to do what he wanted, especially if it was unjust or improper. Psellos warned Leichoudes of the signs of imperial jealousy, but Leichoudes refused to compromise. The emperor, equally uncompromising, turned a deaf ear to all opposition and removed him. Psellos, though a supporter of Konstantinos IX, could not approve of his dismissal of Leichoudes. Ioannes the logothetes was appointed paradynasteuon by the emperor to replace Leichoudes, and designated foremost of all those in the senate. Konstantinos behaved in a puerile way towards him, calling him his 'sweetest boy', and admiring everything he did as nearly divine
Certainty: 2 Basilike Libas: next day minor Pecheneg defeats & losses led to a general retreat of their forces. No persons mentioned
Certainty: 2 Failed plot of Nikephoros & Michael, sons of Euthymios, against Konstantinos IX. Nikephoros and Michael, sons of Euthymios, were accused, along with other relatives, of leading a plot to rise in rebellion against Konstantinos IX. Nikephoros was condemned and banished without proper investigation and his property was confiscated, although charges against Michael and the other accused were dismissed. Nikephoros had met Lazaros of Galesion while serving as krites of Thrakesion and when banished by the emperor he sent word to him to pray for a pardon. Soon, as Lazaros predicted, he was recalled by Konstantinos. He sent Lazaros three pounds of nomismata with a copy of the letter announcing his recall
Certainty: 2 Konstantinos IX made an annual grant of 1000 modioi of wheat to Nea Mone . Konstantinos IX Monomachos issued a chrysobull granting annually to Nea Mone 1000 modioi of wheat from the estates of Helos
Certainty: 2 Lazaros of Galesion fell ill & requested a grave to be dug. Lazaros fell gravely ill, his body having been weakened by old age and mortification. He lost nearly all his teeth and had problems eating. But when the brothers brought him a cushion, he refused to use it and sent them away, keeping only a leather tunic and a woollen cloak on his pillar. He was afflicted by a painful discharge and had an incision made on his neck from which flowed pus instead of blood. He lost all his teeth save two, and could no longer eat. He asked Pantoleon to dig a grave behind the apse, causing consternation to the monks
Certainty: 2 New tactics in Pecheneg war: scattered garrisons under Latin general posted to act together against raiders.
Certainty: 3 Sigillion in favour of Nea Mone, providing tax exemptions for named group of peasants. Konstantinos IX Monomachos issued a chrysobull for Nea Mone giving the names of the monastery's 24 paroikoi at its estate of Kalothekia (in Thrakesion) and exempting them from all fiscal charges
Certainty: 0 An unknown judge refused to accept as valid a marriage & payments which should have arisen from it. Andronikos Balantes made an agreement with Melias, protospatharios and strategos, to marry his own son to the other's daughter, with stipulated dowry, hypobolon and theoretron. But, soon after, the son died, and plans changed. After the death of Andronikos' son, he and Melias married off two others of their children, his daughter to Melias' son. This was illegal, as as he bride's brother had been betrothed to her groom's sister. The groom died soon after the wedding. Andronikos demanded payment of the epibolon and theoretron of his daughter, a widow soon after marriage. Melias refused, claiming the marriage was unlawful. When the matter came to court, the unknown judge agreed on the illegality and refused to order payment
Certainty: 1 Pardon (by Konstantinos IX) of a man caught stealing military funds. A man caught stealing military funds was punished with a large fine, many times what he owned. The exactor of fines was implacable, since both imperial and public treasuries were involved. The man demanded an audience with Konstantinos IX, to get a verdict from him and prevent the public tribunal having complete power over him. When he and the exactor of fines appeared before the emperor, many people were present, above all Psellos, as secretary to record the words of justice. The guilty man spoke in a straighforward and most pathetic way, ready to give up all his property but begging the emperor not to put his children in debt. He began to strip, to maximise his personal contribution. The emperor asked, with tears in his eyes, if he was not ashamed to reduce himself to such poverty that he could not feed and clothe himself. The man replied that he had no choice: he would never be able to pay the fine. Konstantinos then began to remit parts of his debt, gradually reducing the sum he had to pay. The man was amazed at his unexpected salvation, and his gratitude each time persuaded the emperor to increase his generosity, till the whole debt was remitted. The man felt he had won a victory, dressed splendidly and gave thanks to God
Certainty: 1 Plot against Konstantinos IX of anonymous low-born ex-barbarian. A man who arrived in Byzantium as a barbarian did a service for Konstantinos IX, then insinuated himself among the senators. Psellos found his boasting insufferable. The man thought of becoming emperor, regarding Konstantinos' disregard for security as a godsend. Following a secret plan, he joined the rear of an imperial procession from the theatre to the palace, and so got inside the imperial quarters and lay in wait near the kitchens. Onlookers assumed he had been told to wait there. He later revealed that he planned to attack the emperor when sleeping, kill him with a concealed dagger and transfer power to himself. When the emperor went to bed, he set to work. But he lost his nerve, became dizzy and ran all over the place. The guards arrested him and woke the emperor, who was very angry. The next day, the emperor questioned him about co-conspirators, having him severely tortured when he did not reply. Under torture he denounced various magistrates as accomplices, implicating upright men in his barbarian madness. Konstantinos was overcome with remorse, kissed him and restored him to his previous position
Certainty: 1 Ioannes Mauropous wrote about Euchaita soon after arrival there. Ioannes Mauropous wrote several speeches and letters about his (reluctant) appointment to the metropolitan see of Euchaita, his journey there, and the difficulties faced in the first months
Certainty: 0 Privileges restored to see of Euchaita. When Konstantinos IX restored to the metropolitan see of Euchaita the privileges granted by his predecessors, his image was set up in the local church. Ioannes Mauropous composed an epigram about it
Certainty: 1 Argyros in Constantinople was reproved by Keroularios over the azymes. Michael Keroularios would later remember his contacts with Argyros while the latter was in Constantinople. He would often speak to Michael about the azymes, and Michael repeatedly refused him communion (because of his views)
Certainty: 0 Laurentios Paximadas founded a monastery at Meleai on Athos. Laurentios Paximadas founded a monastery in the area of Meleai (on Athos). It was subsequently abandoned and granted to Neophytos, hegoumenos of the monastery of Hagios Konstantinos on condition that Laurentios would be commemorated
Certainty: 0 Chrysobull of Konstantinos IX granting to Nea Mone (Chios) 1000 modioi of wheat from the estates of Helos.
Certainty: 0 Hieropator gave Vatopedi a forest on Athos in return for permission to settle at the monastery. Hieropator granted through a written act a forest to Vatopedi for the salvation of his soul and in exchange for permission to settle at the monastery
Certainty: 0 Psellos asked Romanos, once a fellow-student, for schedographia exercises, as two of his pupils had finished all his own. Two enthusiastic students of Psellos had nearly finished the schedographia exercises of their teacher, and demanded more. Psellos applied for help to Romanos, the schedographia expert who had been a fellow-student. He hoped he would remember the connection and send some of his exercises
Certainty: 0 Ioannes Komnenos, when on a raid, captured the father of Tatikios. Ioannes Komnenos, father of Alexios I, when on a raid, captured the father of Tatikios. This gave Tatikios servile ancestry
Certainty: 1 Nikolaos of Horaia Pege died in his monastery, surrounded by his many monks. Nikolaos, founder of the monastery of Horaia Pege, died in his beloved monastery, surrounded by his many monks and with an angelic escort to heaven, just before Ioannes Xiphilinos and later Psellos arrived at Horaia Pege
Certainty: 0 Konstantinos Leichoudes swore to rebuild the Church where his father would be buried. The father of Konstantinos Leichoudes decided to rebuild the Church of the Martyr Kallinikos (Constantinople) as a Church of the Saviour (?), so as to be buried there. He bound his son on oath, before he became patriarch, to complete the work
Certainty: 0 Psellos wrote simple verse text-books on various subjects for Konstantinos IX. Psellos wrote simple introductions in verse for Konstantinos IX on the inscriptions of the psalms, the Song of Songs, the Christian faith, the councils and grammar. They would be revived for later emperors, especially Michael VII
Certainty: 0 When Keroularios appeared in Church of the Holy Apostles (having inspected the icons), a man shamelessly refused to stand. The patriarch Keroularios, after admiring the technique and spiritual power of the paintings at the Church of the Holy Apostles, suddenly appeared to those present at a vigil there; all but one rose to acknowledge him with respect. The man remained seated to make it clear that this was not oversight. He was summoned by Keroularios and his furious subordinates, but instead of being sternly reprimanded, as he expected, he received a calm handshake and was given a job
Certainty: 1 Psellos wrote Oratio Panegyrica 3 for Konstantinos IX.
Certainty: 0 Attempted seduction by an anonymous emperor of the wife of a prominent krites. An emperor (identity concealed) wanted to have a sexual liaison with the beautiful wife of a prominent krites. He sent her a message promising her dignities and other benefits, and posted her husband to a theme as krites, but she refused to comply and he desisted. The husband was unaware of the reason for his promotion, and returned home happy three years later. Then he was approached by a handsome and noble young man who pretended to be his wife's relative. They became acquainted and he invited the man home. But the guest acted treacherously and corrupted his wife, then bragged about his achievement. When the story became known the husband was humiliated, and the woman, who once had been fortunate, despaired, in fact was completely distraught
Certainty: 0 Lazaros of Galesion: towards the end of his life. Around the year 1050, Lazaros was still living as an ascetic, wearing the same leather tunic for twelve years, going without food for long periods and eating bread only once a year. He also still faced many of the problems of the past. An old woman appearing on his pillar turned out to be the devil in disguise. Quarrelsome monks refused each other forgiveness. Demons prevented monks from confessing, and could cause a crash as they were expelled and might take the form of a cat. But fear of demons could also cause reconciliation. The prediction of dates of death was now used about Lazaros as much as by him over others. Monks were still influenced by the devil to embezzle money and comit sexual sins. One such sinner, Esaias, died, and was heard by Loukas the holy fool calling for help from Lazaros and the brothers. Lazaros ordered a vigil, wrote a pardon to be placed on the altar, and the folowing day had the monks go to his tomb and read out the pardon and pray for him