Certainty: 3 Michael V fled by ship with Konstantinos to Stoudios monastery, where both were tonsured. Michael V, realising that his power was collapsing, was afraid for his life at the hands of the violent crowds now surrounding and even entering the palace. He embarked on the imperial dromon with Konstantinos the nobelissimos and some of his men, left Zoe in the palace, and fled in terror to the monastery of Stoudios where he and Konstantinos immediately put on the monastic habit as suppliants and refugees. The people were delighted at his flight, and followed him to Stoudios, still intent on violence
Certainty: 3 Michael V, who had been encouraged, lost heart again when the people attacked the palace. Michael V, had been heartened by Konstantinos nobelissimos to fight for his throne like an emperor. But now he lost courage again when the people overcame his forces, despite their determined resistance, and began to attack the palace itself
Certainty: 3 Zoe, wishing to rule alone, was forced to accept Theodora as colleague. The two sisters were rivals for imperial power. The senate did not know whom to prefer: they respected Zoe, who was in the palace, because she was the elder, but also Theodora, in Hagia Sophia, because she had been first to end the tyranny. Zoe was jealous of her sister, and unwilling to share power with her, as Theodora knew. The people (Skylitzes) or the senate (most clearly in Zonaras) forced Zoe to accept double rule
Certainty: 3 Michael Psellos visited Michael V at Stoudios church. Michael Psellos claimed to have come to the holy altar of the Church of Stoudios and seen Michael V and Konstantinos the nobelissimos, both clutching the holy table and in monastic dress, surrounded by the furious populace and terrified. He was, he says, deeply moved. The two suppliants noticed his emotion, and converged on him. He asked Konstantinos why he had shared in the ill-treatment of Zoe, and Michael what he had suffered from her to justify his actions. Konstantinos denied involvement, saying that Michael was beyond restraint, complaining of his violent persecution of the rest of the family and claiming that he too would have suffered if he had tried to stop him. Michael wept and accepted the divine justice of his punishment
Certainty: 3 The people demanded violent punishment for Michael V: Zoe demurred, but Theodora gave the order. Zoe in the palace asked what should happen to Michael V, and was pressured to order death or mutilation, but refused to do so. Theodora at Hagia Sophia had no such qualms, as she and her advisers knew that Zoe would gladly see a stable-boy on the throne rather than share rule with her sister. They thought it likely that Zoe would scorn Theodora and secretly elevate Michael V again. Theodora sent a group, probably under the command of Nikephoros Kampanarios, prefect of Constrantinople, to blind Michael and his uncle. They arrived at Stoudios, finding it guarded by another citizen force
Certainty: 3 Michael V & his uncle Konstantinos were both dragged from the Stoudios church & blinded. Michael V and his uncle Konstantinos were forced out of their asylum in the church at Stoudios and dragged by the legs (or possibly on donkeys?) to the Sigma, where the executioner prepared the tools for blinding. Konstantinos, seeing that his nephew Michael V was terrified and begging for mercy, asked to be blinded first, and told the crowd to stand back and watch his bravery. As the executioner tied him down, he asked to be nailed down if he moved. Konstantinos was blinded first, then Michael V, who had to be bound very firmly. This quenched the anger of the mob, who left them there and went back to Theodora
Certainty: 3 Zoe from the palace went to kiss Theodora from Hagia Sophia, confirming double rule. Zoe from the palace ended the senate's doubt and then for the first time went to Hagia Sophia and kissed Theodora and embraced her kindly, thus dividing the heritage of empire between them. Theodora left Hagia Sophia and went to the palace with a most brilliant escort
Certainty: 3 Michael V was exiled to the Elegmon monastery, his family & supporters elsewhere. Michael V's reign reign was terminated in four months and five days - would that it had been even shorter. After he was blinded, he was banished to the monastery of Elegmon
Certainty: 2 Michael V blinded at orders of Zoe & Theodora; Konstantinos IX succeeded (general factoids). Michael V had been deposed by the people for his shameful treatment of Zoe, he fled, but was dragged from asylum and blinded on the orders of Zoe and Theodora; Konstantinos IX succeeded to the throne
Certainty: 2 Poem of Christophoros Mitylenaios on Michael V, deposed & blinded for banishing Zoe. Christophoros's poem complains of the ex-emperor Michael V's injustice in breaking oaths and exiling the true empress Zoe, a caulker punishing a porphyrogennetos, and expresses satisfaction at his just deposition and blinding: he is pictured lying on the ground after punishment