| Theophano Martinakia | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Miniature of Theophano Martinakia in theMenologion of Basil II,c. 1000. | |
| Byzantine Empress consort | |
| Tenure | 29 August 886 – 893 |
| Died | 10 November 897 a monastery,Constantinople (modern-dayIstanbul,Turkey) |
| Burial | |
| Spouse | Leo VI the Wise |
| Issue | Eudokia Porphyrogenita |
| Dynasty | Martinakioi |
| Father | Constantine Martinakios |
Theophano Martinakia (Greek:Θεοφανώ; 866/67 – 10 November 897) was a Byzantine empress by marriage toLeo VI the Wise. She is venerated as a saint by theEastern Orthodox Church.
Born inc. 866/67, she was a daughter ofConstantine Martinakios and Anna.[1] Her family, the Martinakioi, were related to theAmorian dynasty, which ruled theByzantine Empire from 820 to 867.[1] In the decades prior to Theophano's birth, aprophecy had predicted that the family of Martinakios would take the throne. In reaction, the Amorian emperorTheophilos forced his kinsman Martinakes to become a monk and convert his personal house into a monastery.[2]
The chronicle ofSymeon Metaphrastes places the marriage of Leo VI and Theophano in the sixteenth year of the reign ofBasil I, that is, between September 882 and September 883.[3][4] The marriage was arranged by Basil I and forced on Leo VI, and its eventual failure may have been influenced by the poor relation of father and son. Basil died on 29 August 886. Leo succeeded him to the throne and Theophano became his empress.
Symeon records Leo falling in love withZoe Zaoutzaina in the third year of his reign (c. 889). Zoe became his mistress and replaced Theophano in his affections.[3]
In the seventh year of Leo's reign (c. 893), Theophano retired to a monastery in theBlachernae suburb ofConstantinople. She is considered to have been particularly devoted to the church throughout her life, but both Theophanes and Symeon are vague about whether her retirement was voluntary. Zoe replaced her in the palace and court life.[3]
There is a contradiction on her particular status fromc. 893 to 897. According to Symeon, the marriage of Leo VI to Theophano was officially void, allowing Leo and Zoe to marry within the year. According to Theophanes, the original marriage was still valid and Zoe remained the imperial mistress.
Theophano died in her monastery on 10 November 897.[4] According to Theophanes, Leo and Zoe married at this point, while Symeon reports them married earlier. Both Symeon and Theophanes agree that Zoe was only crownedaugusta following the death of her predecessor.
Theophano wasglorified (canonized asaint) by theEastern Orthodox Church following her death. Her feast day is16 December of theEastern Orthodox Church calendar. After her death, her husband built a church, intending to dedicate it to her. When he was forbidden to do so, he decided to dedicate it to "All Saints," so that if his wife were in fact one of the righteous, she would also be honored whenever itsfeast day was celebrated.[5] According totradition, it was Leo who expanded the celebration on the Sunday followingPentecost from a commemoration of All Martyrs to a general commemoration ofAll Saints, whether martyrs or not.[6]
Leo VI and Theophano only had one daughter, Eudokia (afterEudokia Ingerina), who died young. Eudokia was buried in theChurch of the Holy Apostles along with her father and mother.[7]
| Royal titles | ||
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| Preceded by | Byzantine Empress consort 886–897 | Succeeded by |
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