Inadequate plans of Konstantinos VIII for the future of his daughters

Summary:
The three daughters of Konstantinos (VIII) grew up in the palace after the death of their mother, Helena. Eudokia, whose appearance was disfigured by disease, persuaded her father to dedicate her to a monastery, but Zoe (I) and Theodora (I) grew up accepting life in the palace without seeking to influence their future. Neither Basileios II nor Konstantinos VIII, when he took over rule, made any public decisions worthy of an emperor in their respect, till the end of Konstantinos' life. He then used Zoe, the most imperial of his daughters, to establish the succession 
Dates:
1025 
Emperor Basileios II Boulgaroktonos (Basileios 2)
  • Died without having made any provision in the manner of an emperor for Eudokia 101, Theodora 1 and Zoe 1 (:) οὐδὲν περὶ τούτων φρονήσας βασιλικώτερον ἀπελήλυθεν Psellos: Chronographia II 5.12-13
  • Theodora 1 and Zoe 1 acquiesced in his decisions and made no further effort: in association with Konstantinos 8 (:) ἔστεργον τὰ δόξαντα τῷ θείῳ καὶ τῷ πατρὶ, καὶ οὐδὲν τι πλέον περιειργάζοντο Psellos: Chronographia II 5.17-19
Eudokia, daughter of Konstantinos VIII (Eudokia 101)
  • Basileios 2 died without having made any provision in the manner of an emperor for her, Theodora 1 and Zoe 1 [unnamed] οὐδὲν περὶ τούτων φρονήσας βασιλικώτερον ἀπελήλυθεν Psellos: Chronographia II 5.12-13
  • When Konstantinos 8 took up rule as autokrator he did not make more intelligent plans about her [unnamed]: in association with Theodora 1 and Zoe 1 (:) οὐδὲ ... συνετώτερον περὶ αὐτῶν ἐβουλεύσατο Psellos: Chronographia II 5.13-15
  • Since her beauty was disfigured by plague, voluntarily consecrated herself to God (:) Zonaras 17.10.8
  • Brought up in the palace after Helena 103's death: in association with Theodora 1, Zoe 1 (:) Zonaras 17.10.7
  • Either because she disliked power or because she longed for better things, she asked her father (Konstantinos 8) to consecrate her to God; he at once obeyed and dedicated her as first-fruit and offering of his own loins (:) εἴτε ἀπογνοῦσα τὸ κράτος, εἴτε τὰ κρείττω ποθήσασα Psellos: Chronographia II 5.19-24
  • 1043 summary: thinking in a manly (or godly) way, she decided to become a nun and entered a convent (:) Psellos Orationes panegyricae II, 186-191
Helena, wife of Konstantinos VIII (Helena 103)
  • Died after bearing Konstantinos 8 three daughters; departed after completing her allotted time ἐφ’ αἷς μεταλλάττει τὸν βίον· ἡ μὲν οὖν ἀπῆλθε τὸν δεδομένον χρόνον πληρώσασα Psellos: Chronographia II 4.6-8
Emperor Konstantinos VIII (Konstantinos 8)
  • Took no thought appropriate to a father for his two younger daughters who remained with him in the palace when he became sole emperor (:) Zonaras 17.10.9
  • When he took up the leadership as autokrator he did not make more intelligent plans about Eudokia 101, Theodora 1 and Zoe 1 (:) οὐδὲ ... συνετώτερον περὶ αὐτῶν ἐβουλεύσατο Psellos: Chronographia II 5.13-15
  • Theodora 1 and Zoe 1 acquiesced in his decisions and made no further effort: in association with Basileios 2 (:) ἔστεργον τὰ δόξαντα τῷ θείῳ καὶ τῷ πατρί, καὶ οὐδὲν τι πλέον περιειργάζοντο Psellos: Chronographia II 5.17-19
  • Kept his plans for Theodora 1 and Zoe 1 secret (:) ἀπορρήτως εἶχε τὰς γνώμας Psellos: Chronographia II 5.24-5
  • Either because she disliked power or because she longed for better things, Eudokia 1 asked him to consecrate her to God; he at once obeyed and gave his child (Eudokia 1) to the Almighty as first-fruit and offering of his own loins (:) ἀξιοῖ τὸν πατέρα καθοσιῶσαι αὐτὴν τῷ Θεῷ ... ὥσπερ ἀπαρχὴν καὶ ἀνάθημα τῶν αὑτοῦ σπλάγχνων Psellos: Chronographia II 5.19-24
  • Made provision for Zoe 1 alone (of his daughters) and at the end of his life (:) εἰ μὴ περὶ τῆς μέσης ... πρὸς τῷ τέλει τοῦ ζῆν γεγονώς Psellos: Chronographia II 5.15-17
Empress Theodora (Theodora 1)
  • Remained with her father in the palace when he became sole emperor: in association with Zoe 1 (:) Zonaras 17.10.9
  • Brought up in the palace after Helena 103's death: in association with Eudokia 101, Zoe 1 (:) Zonaras 17.10.7
  • She acquiesced in the decisions of Basileios 2 and Konstantinos 8 and and made no further effort [unnamed]: in association with Zoe 1 (:) ἔστεργον τὰ δόξαντα τῷ θείῳ καὶ τῷ πατρὶ, καὶ οὐδὲν τι πλέον περιειργάζοντο Psellos: Chronographia II 5.17-19
  • When Konstantinos 8 took up rule as autokrator he did not make more intelligent plans about her [unnamed]: in association with Eudokia 101 and Zoe 1 (:) οὐδὲ ... συνετώτερον περὶ αὐτῶν ἐβουλεύσατο Psellos: Chronographia II 5.13-15
  • She, like her sister Zoe 1, was remembered as having specially trusted Michael 61 (:) αἱ πορφυρογέννητοι βασιλίδες Psellos Letters (Gautier) 35.60
  • Konstantinos 8 kept his plans for her secret: in association with Zoe 1 (:) περὶ δὲ τῶν ἑτέρων ἀπορρήτως εἶχε τὰς γνώμας Psellos: Chronographia II 5.24-5
Empress Zoe (Zoe 1)
  • Remained with her father in the palace when he became sole emperor: in association with Theodora 1 (:) Zonaras 17.10.9
  • She and Theodora 1 acquiesced in the decisions of Basileios 2 and Konstantinos 8 and made no further effort (:) ἔστεργον τὰ δόξαντα τῷ θείῳ καὶ τῷ πατρὶ, καὶ οὐδὲν τι πλέον περιειργάζοντο Psellos: Chronographia II 5.17-19
  • When Konstantinos 8 took up the leadership as autokrator he did not make more intelligent plans about her, or Eudokia 101 and Zoe 1 (:) οὐδὲ ... συνετώτερον περὶ αὐτῶν ἐβουλεύσατο Psellos: Chronographia II 5.13-15
  • Konstantinos 8 made provision for her alone, the middle and most imperial (of his daughters), at the end of his life (:) εἰ μὴ περὶ τῆς μέσης καὶ βασιλκωτέρας πρὸς τῷ τέλει τοῦ ζῆν γεγονώς Psellos: Chronographia II 5.15-17
  • Konstantinos 8 kept his plans for her and Theodora 1 secret (:) περὶ δὲ τῶν ἑτέρων ἀπορρήτως εἶχε τὰς γνώμας Psellos: Chronographia II 5.24-5
  • Brought up in the palace after Helena 103's death: in association with Eudokia 101, Theodora 1 (:) Zonaras 17.10.7