Empress Zoe L X / M XI
Ζωή (Zoe 1)
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Narrative
(324)
1025
Certainty: 1
Inadequate plans of Konstantinos VIII for the future of his daughters
Certainty: 1
1028
Certainty: 3
Romanos (III) married Zoe
Certainty: 3
Certainty: 3
Konstantinos VIII, suddenly ill, chose Konstantinos Dalassenos as son-in-law & successor
Certainty: 3
Certainty: 3
Konstantinos VIII turned to Romanos Argyros as successor: his wife became a nun
Certainty: 3
Certainty: 3
Romanos (III) married Zoe
Certainty: 3
Certainty: 3
Death of Konstantinos VIII; accession of Romanos III
Certainty: 3
1029
Certainty: 1
When his efforts to beget an heir failed, Romanos visited Zoe less often, making her hate him
Certainty: 1
Certainty: 2
Expulsion of Theodora from palace to Petrion
Certainty: 2
Certainty: 1
Ioannes (orphanotrophos) introduced Michael (IV) to Romanos III, who kept him at court
Certainty: 1
1030
Certainty: 1
Zoe made advances to Michael (IV); Ioannes (orphanotrophos) encouraged him to respond
Certainty: 1
Certainty: 1
Zoe's affair with Michael (IV) flourished & all but Romanos knew of it
Certainty: 1
1031
Certainty: 3
Empress Zoe had her sister Theodora tonsured in the Petrion to stop her plotting
Certainty: 3
1032
Certainty: 2
Further plot of Konstantinos Diogenes & Theodora betrayed; suicide of Konstantinos
Certainty: 2
Certainty: 1
Romanos was warned of danger from Zoe's affair by his sister Poulcheria; but she soon died
Certainty: 1
1033
Certainty: 1
Michael (IV) denied (perjurously) that he was Zoe's lover; hence perhaps his epilepsy
Certainty: 1
1034
Certainty: 2
Romanos III very ill, perhaps poisoned by Ioannes (orphanotrophos) or Zoe
Certainty: 2
Certainty: 3
Romanos III, after distributing pay to senators, was murdered in the bath at Blachernai
Certainty: 3
Certainty: 2
Zoe, Romanos' nurse, knowing how ill he was, did not grieve for him unduly but got on with her duty
Certainty: 2
Certainty: 3
The patriarch Alexios I was induced by surprise & donations to marry Zoe to Michael
Certainty: 3
Certainty: 2
Zoe ignored her advisers' warnings against Michael (IV) & made him emperor
Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2
Conventional hexameter epitaph for Romanos, with grieving wife: he distributed gold & died in bath
Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2
Zoe brought her father's eunuchs to the palace & prepared to rule
Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2
Michael IV for a time was respectful of Zoe, but he soon changed his ways
Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2
Ioannes the orphanotrophos removed Zoe's eunuchs & maidservants, & shut her in her quarters
Certainty: 2
Certainty: 1
Konstantinos (IX) Monomachos fell under suspicion of aiming at the throne
Certainty: 1
1036
Certainty: 1
Zoe (probably) adopted Michael (V) as kaisar, son & heir: ceremony at Blachernai church
Certainty: 1
1038
Certainty: 2
Failed attempt by Zoe to poison Ioannes orphanotrophos
Certainty: 2
1040
Certainty: 2
Worsening sickness of Michael IV all but ended his sexual relations with Zoe
Certainty: 2
1041
Certainty: 2
Zoe heard of Michael's retirement & went on foot to see him, but he shut her out
Certainty: 2
Certainty: 3
Zoe may have decided the empire needed a man's strength, & adopted Michael (V)
Certainty: 3
Certainty: 3
Zoe succeeded Michael IV & proclaimed Michael V, after solemn promises of obedience
Certainty: 3
Certainty: 2
Michael V was for a time subservient to Zoe, but he soon began to ignore her
Certainty: 2
1042
Certainty: 2
Banishment of Ioannes orphanotrophos & others by Zoe (&/or Michael V)
Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2
Michael V made eunuchs of those he wished to punish, especially in his own family
Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2
Michael V was persuaded by his brothers to think of banishing Zoe
Certainty: 2
Certainty: 3
Michael V banished Zoe to Prinkipo
Certainty: 3
Certainty: 3
Kabasilas was sent to bring Theodora to Hagia Sophia
Certainty: 3
Certainty: 3
Michael V's announcement shouted down the next day: proclamation of Zoe & Theodora
Certainty: 3
Certainty: 3
Theodora was brought from the Petrion by Michael V's enemies & Zoe returned by Michael himself
Certainty: 3
Certainty: 3
Even with empress(es) present, people insulted Michael & howled him down in Hippodrome
Certainty: 3
Certainty: 3
The rioting involved all sections of the population, most conspicuously the women
Certainty: 3
Certainty: 3
Zoe, wishing to rule alone, was forced to accept Theodora as colleague
Certainty: 3
Certainty: 3
Michael Psellos visited Michael V at Stoudios church
Certainty: 3
Certainty: 3
The people demanded violent punishment for Michael V: Zoe demurred, but Theodora gave the order
Certainty: 3
Certainty: 3
Michael V & his uncle Konstantinos were both dragged from the Stoudios church & blinded
Certainty: 3
Certainty: 3
Zoe from the palace went to kiss Theodora from Hagia Sophia, confirming double rule
Certainty: 3
Certainty: 2
Michael V blinded at orders of Zoe & Theodora; Konstantinos IX succeeded (general factoids)
Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2
Poem of Christophoros Mitylenaios on Michael V, deposed & blinded for banishing Zoe
Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2
Reign of Zoe & Theodora: first decisions
Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2
Reign of Zoe & Theodora: mechanics of rule by two empresses
Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2
Reign of Zoe & Theodora: military men (Nikolaos, Konstantinos Kabasilas, Georgios Maniakes)
Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2
Reign of Zoe & Theodora: finding an emperor
Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2
Konstantinos (IX) Monomachos recalled from exile & given a brilliant entry to Constantinople
Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2
Konstantinos (IX) married to Zoe by Stypes, priest of Nea, not by the patriarch
Certainty: 2
Certainty: 3
Konstantinos IX crowned emperor by the patriarch
Certainty: 3
Certainty: 2
Konstantinos IX celebrated his return from exile with Zoe & Theodora
Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2
Konstantinos IX persuaded Zoe to recall Maria Skleraina, at first to modest housing
Certainty: 2
Certainty: 1
Chrysobull of Zoe & Theodora for Nea Mone (Chios)
Certainty: 1
1043
Certainty: 2
Collapse of Maniakes' rebellion after his death; triumph of Konstantinos IX (& Stephanos Pergamenos)
Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2
Konstantinos IX began Mangana monastery near Skleraina's house
Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2
Psellos wrote Orationes panegyricae 2 for Konstantinos IX, with summary of recent history
Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2
Reluctant entry of Ioannes Mauropous to court of Konstantinos IX
Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2
Konstantinos IX persuaded Zoe to let Skleraina move into palace
Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2
Maria Skleraina was given the title "sebaste" by Zoe, at Konstantinos' suggestion
Certainty: 2
1044
Certainty: 3
Riot against Skleraina during a procession was stopped by appearance of Zoe & Theodora
Certainty: 3
Certainty: 1
Accomodation arrangements for the emperor, two empresses & sebaste in the palace
Certainty: 1
Certainty: 0
Zoe's superstitions & perfume-making increase
Certainty: 0
1045
Certainty: 1
Illness & death of Skleraina
Certainty: 1
1046
Certainty: 1
Second trial of Lazaros of Philippopolis sought to overturn the verdict of the first
Certainty: 1
1047
Certainty: 2
Siege of Constantinople by Leon Tornikios, who won several skirmishes
Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2
Tornikios had the city at his mercy, but did not take it; fortune turned against him
Certainty: 2
Certainty: 0
Donations to Hagios Michael of Sosthenion by Konstantinos IX & Zoe
Certainty: 0
Certainty: 0
Donation to Mangana by Konstantinos IX & Zoe
Certainty: 0
1048
Certainty: 1
Psellos wrote Oratio Panegyrica 5 for Konstantinos IX
Certainty: 1
1049
Certainty: 1
Success of Romanos Boilas as a court buffoon
Certainty: 1
1050
Certainty: 2
Zoe was buried in a most beautiful tomb
Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2
Konstantinos IX was deeply moved by Zoe's death
Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2
Konstantinos openly recognised his mistress (an Alan princess), naming her sebaste
Certainty: 2
1053
Certainty: 1
Psellos wrote to Ioannes Mauropous on behalf of an old man, & mocked Ioannes for wanting to return to the capital
Certainty: 1
1054
Certainty: 2
Psellos' return to court after tonsure, & its uncomfortable results
Certainty: 2
Unassigned Activities
Death
(14)
Description
(120)
Dignity/Office
(34)
Augousta (8 sources)
Basileus
βασιλέων. Psellos: Chronographia 1.3
Basileus (co-empress)
αὐτοκράτορες. Attaleiates: History 18.3 / 14.18
Basilis (13 sources)
Basilissa
βασιλίσσῃ. Manasses, Chronicle 6046
βασίλισσα. Psellos: Chronographia 3.8
βασιλίσσαις. Psellos: Chronographia 21.1
βασίλισσα. Manasses, Chronicle 5976, 6055, 6132, 6230
Despoina
τῶν ἁγίων δεσποινῶν. Nea Mone, Miklosich-Müller 5.6, 5.9
Empress
imperatricis. Lupus protospatharius 59.24
imperati. Anonymus Barensis 151
δάμαρτα ἄνακτος, ἄνασσαν. Christophoros of Mitylene 8.23
Porphyrogennetos
τῆς πορφυρογεννήτου. Iveron 1.242.25
αἱ πορφυρογέννητοι βασιλίδες. Psellos Letters (Gautier) 35.60
τῶν πορφυρογεννήτων. Nea Mone, Miklosich-Müller 5.6
τῇ πορφυροβλαστήτῳ. Manasses, Chronicle 5968, 6065
Education
(1)
Kinship
(88)
Location
(36)
Occupation/Vocation
(3)
Alternative Name
(1)