See also
| Husband: | Constantine VI (771-787) | |
| Wife: | Maria of AMNIA (770-823) | |
| Children: | Euphrosyne (790-836) | |
| Irene (c. 792- ) | ||
| Name: | Constantine VI | |
| Sex: | Male | |
| Father: | Leo IV (750-780) | |
| Mother: | Irene of KHAZARIA (c. 755- ) | |
| Birth | 0771 | |
| Occupation | Emperor of the Byzantine Empire | |
| Title | frm 0776 to 0797 (age 4-26) | Emperor of the Byzantine Empire |
| Death | 0787 (age 15-16) | |
| Name: | Maria of AMNIA | |
| Sex: | Female | |
| Father: | - | |
| Mother: | Hypatia (c. 795- ) | |
| Birth | 0770 | Amnia, Paphlagonia |
| Occupation | Empress Consort of Byzantium | |
| Death | 0823 (age 52-53) | |
| Name: | Euphrosyne | |
| Sex: | Female | |
| Spouse: | Michael II + (775-829) | |
| Birth | 0790 | |
| Occupation | Empress Consort of Byzantium | |
| Title | frm 0823 to 0829 (age 32-39) | Empress Consort of Byzantium |
| Death | 0836 (age 45-46) | |
| Name: | Irene | |
| Sex: | Female | |
| Birth | 0792 (est) | |
Constantine VI (771–797) was Byzantine Emperor from 780 to 797.
Constantine VI was the only child of Emperor Leo IV and Irene. Constantine was crowned co-emperor by his father in 776, and succeeded as sole emperor at the age of nine under the regency of Irene in 780.
In 782 he was betrothed to Rotrude, a daughter of the Frankish King Charlemagne by his third wife Hildegard. Irene herself broke off the engagement in 788. In 787 Constantine had signed the decrees of the Second Council of Nicaea, but he appears to have had iconoclast sympathies. By then Constantine had turned 16 years old, but his mother did not relinquish executive authority to him.
After a conspiracy against Irene was suppressed in the spring of 790 she attempted to get official recognition as empress. This backfired and with military support Constantine finally came to actual power in 790, after the Armeniacs rebelled against Irene. Nevertheless, she was allowed to keep the title of Empress, which was confirmed in 792.
The weakness of Constantine caused dissatisfaction among his supporters. He showed unheroic behaviour after the defeats at the hands of Kardam of Bulgaria in 791 and 792. A movement developed in favor of his uncle, the Caesar Nikephoros. Constantine had his uncle's eyes put out and the tongues of his father's four other half-brothers cut off. His former Armenian supporters revolted after he had blinded their general Alexios Mosele. He crushed this revolt with extreme cruelty in 793.
He then divorced his wife Maria of Amnia, who had failed to provide him with a male heir, and married his mistress Theodote, an unpopular and possibly illegal act, although the Patriarch ignored it. By his actions Constantine had lost all support, both of the ruling orthodox and the iconoclast opposition.
In 797 Constantine was captured and blinded by the supporters of his mother, who had organized a conspiracy. According to most contemporary accounts, he died from his wounds a few days later, leaving Irene to be crowned as first Empress regnant of Constantinople. Pretenders to the throne claiming to be Constantine VI later appeared during the reign of Michael II.
Constantine VI and his father Leo IV.[edit] FamilyBy his first wife Maria of Amnia, Constantine VI had two daughters:
Euphrosyne, who married Emperor Michael II
Irene
By his mistress and then second wife Theodote, Constantine VI had a son:
Leo, who died in 797.
Maria was born in Amnia, Paphlagonia. The name of her father is unknown. Her mother has been identified as Hypatia by Christian Settipani. Her maternal grandfather was Saint Philaretos, a magnate from the Armeniakon Theme known for his charitable activities. The relation is mentioned in his Hagiography.
[edit] EmpressIn 788, Maria was one of thirteen candidates in the earliest recorded bride-show. The bride-show had been ordered by Regent Empress Irene in search of a suitable bride for her son Constantine VI. Constantine was previously betrothed to Rotrude, daughter of Charlemagne and Hildegard, but Irene had called off the engagement.
Maria was chosen primarily by Irene. Constantine and Staurakios, a eunuch who served as the logothetes tou dromou, were also reportedly involved in the presentation of the candidates. However whether they influenced the choice is unstated.
The marriage took place in November, 788. The marriage was recorded in the chronicle of Theophanes the Confessor. The marriage lasted for about six years and resulted in two daughters. Theophanes records that Constantine had turned against his first wife at some point. Theophanes attributed the deterioration of the marriage to the machinations of Irene. The lack of a male heir following six years of marriage could also be one of the reasons.
In 794, Constantine had found a mistress in the person of Theodote, a kubikularia (Lady-in-waiting) of his mother. In January, 795, Constantine divorced Maria. Maria and both of their daughters were sent to a convent in the island of Prinkipo. In September, 795, Constantine and Theodote were wed.
The initial divorce had met with disapproval in circles of the Eastern Orthodox Church. The remarriage while Maria was still alive was seen as an attempt for legalization of adultery. The legality of the second marriage sparked a religious controversy, the so-called "Moechian Controversy" (from the Greek moichos, "adulterer"). However Maria is not recorded as involved with any of the conflicts of the time.
She remained a nun for the rest of her life. She is last mentioned c. 823. Her daughter Euphrosyne was taken from their convent to marry Michael II (reigned 820 - 829). She protested the decision to no effect. Her protestation is mentioned in the correspondence of Theodore the Studite. The year of her death is not known.
[edit] ChildrenMaria and Constantine VI had two daughters:
Euphrosyne (c. 790 - after 836). Married Michael II.
Irene. Became a nun in 795. Last mentioned alive in 796.