Birth of Konstantinos, son of Michael VII & Maria of Alania

Summary:
Maria of Alania bore a son to Michael VII Doukas, who was given by his father his grandfather's name, Konstantinos, and was crowned. Psellos saw him being breast-fed wearing a crown, often held him in his arms, and planned to serve him as advisor and historian when he grew up 
Dates:
1074 
Emperor Konstantinos X Doukas (Konstantinos 10)
Konstantinos Doukas porphyrogennetos, son of Michael VII (Konstantinos 62)
  • Michael 7 named him Konstantinos after his grandfather (Konstantinos 10) and gave him an imperial coronation (:) Zonaras 18.17.7
  • Michael 61 saw him as a tiny baby being fed milk at the breast, his head bound with the imperial diadem (:) ταινίᾳ βασιλικῇ ἀναδεδεμένον τὴν κεφαλήν Psellos: Chronographia VIIc 12.1-4
  • Michael 61 does not write of his words or deeds as he has not yet done or uttered anything (:) γράφω δὲ αὐτῷ οὔτε λόγους τινάς, οὔτε πράξεις, οὔτε γὰρ ἔπραξέ τι οὔτε οὔπω ἐφθέγξατο Psellos: Chronographia VIIc 12.4-5
  • Michael 61 has often held him and prayed that the baby might benefit from his words; he will embrace him again frequently and hope to benefit from him when he grows up and takes power from Michael 7 (:) ὄνασθαί μου τῶν λόγων ηὐξάμην Psellos: Chronographia VIIc 13.3-6
  • Michael 61 would give him this advice (perhaps he will read this history on reaching manhood): to look at Michael 7 as a model and judge himself that way; hopefully he may become like Michael: that would not be bad (:) ὁμοιωθείης, παιδίον, τῷ φύσαντι, καὶ γένοιο ἂν οὐ κακῶς Psellos: Chronographia VIIc 13.8-12
  • If Michael 61 lives beyond his span, he will write another history for him, when he has provided material for writing; if not, the present record will satisfy him and provide a starting-point for other historians (:) εἰ δ᾿ οὖν, ἀποχρῶν σοι τοῦτο τὸ γράμμα, ἐτέροις ὑπόθεσις τῶν ἐπὶ σοὶ συγγραμάτων ἐσόμενον Psellos: Chronographia VIIc 13.13-17
Emperor Michael VII Doukas (Michael 7)
  • When a son was born to him by Maria 61 of the Alans (whom he had crowned empress) he named him Konstantinos after his father (Konstantinos 10) and gave him an imperial coronation (:) Zonaras 18.17.7
  • Maria 61 had borne Konstantinos 62 to him in the purple, and he had crowned him when he was still a tiny baby and clad him in purple shoes (:) Zonaras 18.21.16
  • Through his love for Maria 61, he fathered Konstantinos 62 (:) Psellos: Chronographia VIIc 9.1-3
Michael Psellos (named Konstantinos till tonsure in 1054) (Michael 61)
  • He saw Konstantinos 62 as a tiny baby being fed milk at the breast, his head bound with the imperial diadem (:) βρεφύλλιον ἐγὼ καὶ ἐν ἀγκάλαις γαλακτοτροφούμενον ἑωράκειν Psellos: Chronographia VIIc 12.1-4
  • He has often held Konstantinos 62 and prayed that he might benefit from his words; he will embrace him again frequently and hope to benefit from him when he grows up and takes power from Michael 7 (:) ὀναίμην αὐτοῦ ὁπότε εἰς ἡλικίαν ἔλθοι καὶ τὸ δύνασθαι λάβοι παρὰ του πατρός Psellos: Chronographia VIIc 13.3-6
  • He would give this advice to Konstantinos 62 (who will perhaps read his history on reaching manhood): to look at Michael 7 as a model and examine himself that way; he hopes Konstantinos may be like his father - no bad example (:) πρὸς παράδειγμα τὸν πατέρα ὁρᾶν, κἀκεῖθεν ἑαυτὸν ἱστορεῖν Psellos: Chronographia VIIc 13.8-12