Empress Eudokia became worried that her sons would lose power without a strong emperor

Summary:
Although Eudokia's character was steadfast and her spirit noble, she became worried when so many people said that the empire needed a strong male emperor, and tended to panic at the reports of Turkish attacks in the east. She was shaken by great fears for Michael VII, Konstantios and Andronikos, nervous they would be deprived of the empire without someone to protect and guide them. She concluded that the empire's interest should be placed above the late Konstantinos X's wishes that she should not remarry, and planned to break her oaths 
Dates:
1067 
Andronikos Doukas, brother of Michael VII (Andronikos 62)
  • Since many said the situation demanded an emperor, Eudokia 1 was afraid lest the commons might set up some emperor of their own and so she and her sons (Andronikos 62, Konstantios 61, Michael 7) be expelled from the empire (:) Zonaras 18.10.7
  • Eudokia 1 judged that she should bring in someone to rule, so that she might preserve power for herself and her sons (Andronikos 62, Konstantios 61, Michael 7) and keep it for them undiminished (:) Zonaras 18.10.7
Empress Eudokia Makrembolitissa (Eudokia 1)
  • Considered together with her officials and the patriarch (Ioannes 18) what action to take against the sultan's advance (Alp Arslan 51) and decided to put the empire's interest above the dead emperor (Konstantinos 10)'s wishes (for Eudokia not to remarry) (:) τῆς εἰδικῆς καὶ ἐπιθανατίου παραγγελίας τῷ κοινῇ συμφέρον ἐπιεικῶς προτιμήσασθαι Attaleiates: History 100.13-19 / 75.24-76.3
  • Wishing to marry (after the death of Konstantinos 10) but fearful of those who had signed the document (forbidding her to marry again), she realized she had to be more ingenious than a mere woman in order to trick the patriarch (Ioannes 18) (:) ἔγνω δεῖν ὑπὲρ γυναῖκα φρονῆσαι καὶ δόλῳ τὸν πατριάρχην ὑπελθεῖν Glykas 607.16-20
  • Since many said the situation demanded an emperor, she was afraid lest the commons might set up some emperor of their own and so she and her sons (Andronikos 62, Konstantios 61, Michael 7) be expelled from the empire (:) Zonaras 18.10.7
  • When the barbarian attacks in the east were reported to her they caused her to panic (:) Zonaras 18.10.7
  • She judged that she should bring in someone to rule, so that she might preserve power for herself and her sons (Andronikos 62, Konstantios 61, Michael 7) and keep it for them undiminished (:) Zonaras 18.10.7
  • She was shaken by great fears for Michael 7 and Konstantios 61, afraid they would be deprived of the empire without someone to protect and guide them (:) διέσεισαν αὐτὴν φόβοι πολλοὶ περὶ τοῖς υἱέσι Psellos: Chronographia VIIb 4.9-11
  • Although her character was steadfast and her spirit noble, the currents that flowed against her shook the tower of her wise counsels and she inclined towards a second marriage (:) πρὸς δευτέραν εὐνὴν ἀνδρὸς κατακλίνουσι Psellos: Chronographia VIIb 5.3-6
Konstantios Doukas, brother of Michael VII (Konstantios 61)
  • Since many said the situation demanded an emperor, Eudokia 1 was afraid lest the commons might set up some emperor of their own and so she and her sons (Andronikos 62, Konstantios 61, Michael 7) be expelled from the empire (:) Zonaras 18.10.7
  • Eudokia 1 was shaken by great fears for him and Michael 7, afraid he would be deprived of the empire without someone to protect and guide him (:) μὴ τὴν βασιλείαν ἀφαιρεθεῖεν, μὴ ὄντος τοῦ προεστηκότος καὶ περιέποντος Psellos: Chronographia VIIb 4.9-11
  • Eudokia 1 judged that she should bring in someone to rule, so that she might preserve power for herself and her sons (Andronikos 62, Konstantios 61, Michael 7) and keep it for them undiminished (:) Zonaras 18.10.7
Emperor Michael VII Doukas (Michael 7)
  • Since many said the situation demanded an emperor, Eudokia 1 was afraid lest the commons might set up some emperor of their own and so she and her sons (Andronikos 62, Konstantios 61, Michael 7) be expelled from the empire (:) Zonaras 18.10.7
  • Eudokia 1 judged that she should bring in someone to rule, so that she might preserve power for herself and her sons (Andronikos 62, Konstantios 61, Michael 7) and keep it for them undiminished (:) Zonaras 18.10.7
  • Eudokia 1 was shaken by great fears for him, afraid he would be deprived of the empire without someone to protect and guide him: in association with Konstantios 61 (:) μὴ τὴν βασιλείαν ἀφαιρεθεῖεν, μὴ ὄντος τοῦ προεστηκότος καὶ περιέποντος Psellos: Chronographia VIIb 4.9-11
Michael Psellos (named Konstantinos till tonsure in 1054) (Michael 61)
  • He was once with Eudokia 1 in a church: seeing her fixed on God and virtually hanging upon the Lord he was moved and prayed zealously that she might enjoy power indefinitely (:) κινηθεὶς ἐκ προθυμίας ηὐξάμην Psellos: Chronographia VIIb 4.15-19
  • Turning to him Eudokia 1 reproached him, considering his prayer a curse and saying: "May I not enjoy the empire for so long that I die empress"; this so terrified Michael 61 that thereafer he paid attention to her as a superior being (:) ἐκεῖθεν ὡς κρείττονι ταύτῃ προσέχειν τὸν νοῦν Psellos: Chronographia VIIa 4.19-23