Konstantinos VIII, suddenly ill, chose Konstantinos Dalassenos as son-in-law & successor

Summary:
The Emperor Konstantinos VIII fell suddenly ill and at last pondered on the succession. He sent the eunuch Ergodotes to summon Konstantinos Dalassenos, the eparchos and prominent senator, from his residence in Armeniakon, in order to marry one of his daughters (probably Zoe) and be proclaimed emperor. However, Dalassenos had already married while still a boy, and this meant that he was not entirely suitable for Konstantinos' scheme. Symeon the droungarios had other ideas 
Dates:
1028 November 9 
wife of Konstantinos Dalassenos (Anonyma 7000)
  • Konstantinos 63 [unnamed] was somewhat unphilosophical in respect of her and this counted against him in the eyes of the many as regards an imperial marriage τὸ δὲ ἐπὶ τῇ γυναικὶ ἀφιλόοσοφόν τι ὁ ἀνὴρ εἶχε, καὶ πρὸς βασιλέως κῆδος ἔχων τι ἀπὸ τούτου τοῖς πολλοῖς πρόσαντες Psellos: Chronographia II 10.6-8
Ergodotes, eunuch in court of Konstantinos VIII and Michael IV (Anonymus 143)
  • Was sent by Konstantinos 8 to fetch Konstantinos 63 Dalassenos from Armeniakon in order to get married to one of the dying emperor's daughters and be proclaimed emperor, but the plan was thwarted by Symeon 101 who sent for Romanos 3 instead (:) πέμπεται ἄξων αὐτόν Skylitzes 373.21-374.22
  • Sent by Konstantinos 8 to bring Konstantinos 63 from the theme of Armeniakon when he decided to designate him as his successor (:) Zonaras 17.10.18
Emperor Konstantinos VIII (Konstantinos 8)
  • Fell suddenly ill and pondered on the succession, sent the eunuch Ergodotes (Anonymus 143) to summon Konstantinos 63 Dalassenos in order to marry one of his daughters and be proclaimed emperor, but his plan was thwarted by Symeon 101 (on November 9 of the 12th indiction in the year 6537 (9.11.1028): Ἐννάτῃ δὲ Νοεμβρίου μηνός, τῆς δωδεκάτης ἰνδικτιῶνος, ἐν ἔτει ἑξακισχιλιοστῷ πεντακοσιοστῷ τριακοστῷ ἑβδόμῳ) αἰφνιδίῳ νόσῳ ληφθείς Skylitzes 373.15-374.25
  • Decided to make the patrician Konstantinos Dalassenos (Konstantinos 63) his in-law by one of his daughters, and inheritor of the empire, and sent Anonymus 143 to bring him, since he was residing in the theme of Armeniakon (:) Zonaras 17.10.19
  • When already advanced to the depths of old age and the wasting arising from it, and possessed by a disease which also assaulted his body, he began to consider who would succeed him in power (:) Zonaras 17.10.17
  • When he realised he was at his end, either persuaded by his advisers or recognising for himself that he must act, he looked for someone to inherit the power, to whom he intended to betroth his middle daughter (Zoe 1) (:) περὶ τοῦ διαδεξομένου τὸ κράτος διηρευνᾶτο Psellos: Chronographia II 9.9-13
Konstantinos Dalassenos (Konstantinos 63)
  • He was prominent in the senate and elevated to the dignity of eparch, an imperial office, except that it was without the purple, but he had married while still a boy and for this reason did not seem quite suitable for power [unnamed] ... τὰ πρῶτα μὲν τῆς συγκλήτου καὶ ἐς τὸ τοῦ ἐπάρχου ἀξίωμα ἀναχθεὶς (βασίλειος δὲ αὕτη ἀρχή, εἰ μὴ ὅσον ἀπόρφυρος), γυναῖκα δὲ γήμας ἐξ ἔτι παιδός, καὶ διὰ ταῦτα οὐ πάνυ πρόσφορος τῷ κράτει Psellos: Chronographia II 10.1-5
  • As to family and rank he was more appropriate than the others, but he was somewhat unphilosophical in respect of Anonyma 7000 and this counted against him in the eyes of the many as regards an imperial marriage [unnamed] τὸ μὲν γὰρ ὅσον ἐς γένος καὶ τὸ ἀξίωμα τῶν ἄλλων ὑπῆρχε καταλληλότερος, τὸ δὲ ἐπὶ τῇ γυναικὶ ἀφιλόοσοφόν τι ὁ ἀνὴρ εἶχε, καὶ πρὸς βασιλέως κῆδος ἔχων τι ἀπὸ τούτου τοῖς πολλοῖς πρόσαντες Psellos: Chronographia II 10.5-8
  • Sent for by Konstantinos 8, who decided to marry him to one of his daughters and make him his son-in-law and heir; but Konstantinos 8 changed his mind before Konstantinos 63 arrived (:) Zonaras 17.10.18-19
Symeon, droungarios under Konstantinos VIII (Symeon 101)
  • Ignoring the dying emperor (Konstantinos 8)'s wishes, he arranged to have someone (Anonymus 144) sent supposedly on the emperor's behalf to ask Konstantinos 63 Dalassenos to await at Armeniakon, and had Romanos 3 brought to the palace instead (:) σπουδῇ δὲ τοῦ Συμεών Skylitzes 374.22-26
Empress Zoe (Zoe 1)
  • When Konstantinos 8 realised he was at his end, either persuaded by his advisers or recognising for himself that he must act, he looked for someone to inherit the power, to whom he intended to betrothe her [unnamed] (:) ᾧ καὶ τὴν μέσην τῶν θυγατέρων κατεγγυήσασθαι ἔμελλε Psellos: Chronographia II 9.9-13
  • 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