Failed attempt by Zoe to poison Ioannes orphanotrophos

Summary:
Zoe used her eunuch Sgouritzes to bribe the doctor of Ioannes the orphanotrophos to poison his patient, offering gifts and promises. When Ioannes was prescribed a purgative, the doctor acquired poison from Konstantinos Moukoupeles and gave it to him. However the doctor's young assistant betrayed the plan and saved Ioannes. The doctor was exiled to Antioch, Konstantinos Moukoupeles was expelled from Constantinople, and Zoe herself was viewed with great suspicion 
Dates:
1038 
Sgouritzes, courtier of Empress Zoe (Anonymus 165)
  • At the instigation of Zoe 1 he bribed with many gifts and promises of fame and riches the physician of Ioannes 68 (Anonymus 166) if he mixed poison in the latter's medication (:) Skylitzes 403.12-16
physician bribed by Zoe to poison Ioannes Orphanotrophos (Anonymus 166)
  • Was bribed by Zoe 1 through Sgouritzes (Anonymus 165) with many gifts and promises of fame and riches if he mixed poison in the medication of Ioannes 68, but when the plot was denounced by his assistant (Anonymus 167) he was banished to Antioch (:) εἰ κεράσει τῷ φαρμάκῳ καὶ δηλητήριον Skylitzes 403.12-18
  • When he was about to treat Ioannes 68 with a purgative, the empress Zoe 1 by means of certain people persuaded the dispenser of the drug with gifts and promises to apply a destructive instead of a beneficial drug (:) τὸν φαρμακεύοντα Zonaras 17.15.32
young assistant of the physician of Ioannes Orphanotrophos (Anonymus 167)
  • Denounced to Ioannes 68 the plot to mix poison in his medication, instigated by Zoe 1 who bribed Ioannes' physician (Anonymus 166) with many gifts and promises of fame and riches (:) μηνύσαντος τὸ σκευώρημα τῷ Ἰωάννῃ Skylitzes 403.16-17
Ioannes the Orphanotrophos, brother of Michael IV (Ioannes 68)
  • When informed by his physician's assistant (Anonymus 167) of the plot (of Zoe 1) to poison him he exiled the physician (Anonymus 166) to Antioch and banished from Constantinople Konstantinos 109 Moukoupeles who manufactured the poison (:) μηνύσαντος τὸ σκευώρημα τῷ Ἰωάννῃ Skylitzes 403.12-20
  • Said to have been plotted against by the empress Zoe 1 (:) Zonaras 17.15.31
  • When the doctor (Anonymus 166) was about to treat him with a purgative, Zoe 1 through certain people persuaded him with gifts and promises to apply a destructive instead of a saving drug; but the attempt became known and he escaped the danger (:) Zonaras 17.15.32
Konstantinos Moukoupeles (Konstantinos 109)
  • Manufactured the poison to be mixed in the medication of Ioannes 68, following the plot instigated by Zoe 1, but was banished from Constantinople when this was denounced to Ioannes by the physician's young assistant (Anonymus 167) (:) ἐξωθεῖται τῆς πόλεως Skylitzes 403.19-20
  • Constantinople: was banished from Constantinople τῆς πόλεως Skylitzes 403.20
Empress Zoe (Zoe 1)
  • Upon learning that Ioannes 68 was intending to take medication she bribed the physician (Anonymus 166) through Sgouritzes, one of her most devoted eunuchs (Anonymus 165), promising him fame and riches if he mixed some poison in the medication (:) δώροις ὑποφθείρει τὸν ἰατρὸν οὐκ ὀλίγοις Skylitzes 403.12-16
  • Following the uncovering of her plot to poison Ioannes 68, the physician she bribed (Anonymus 166) was exiled to Antioch, Konstantinos 109 who manufactured the poison was banished from Constantinople, and she was viewed with great suspicion (:) ἐν ὑποψίαις ἔκειτο μείζοσιν Skylitzes 403.16-21
  • Said to have plotted against Ioannes 68 (:) Zonaras 17.15.31
  • When the doctor (Anonymus 166) was about to treat Ioannes 68 with a purgative, she persuaded him with gifts and promises to apply a destructive instead of a beneficial drug; but the attempt became known and Ioannes escaped the danger (:) Zonaras 17.15.32