Byzantine Empire Βασιλεία Ῥωμαίων (Ancient Greek) Imperium Romanum (Latin)
802–813
The Byzantine Empire in 813, after the abdication ofMichael I
Capital	Constantinople
Common languages	Greek
Government	Bureaucratic semi-elective monarchy
Emperor
• 802–811	Nikephoros I
• 811	Staurakios
• 811–813	Michael I Rangabe
History
• Accession ofNikephoros I	802
• Abdication of Michael I	813
Preceded by Succeeded by Byzantine Empire under the Isaurian dynasty Byzantine Empire under the Amorian dynasty

TheNikephorian dynasty of theByzantine Empire began following the deposition of theEmpressIrene of Athens. The throne of the Byzantine Empire passed to a relatively short-lived dynasty, the Nikephorian dynasty, named after its founder,Nikephoros I. The empire was in a weaker and more precarious position than it had been for a long time and its finances were problematic.^[1]

During this era Byzantium was almost continually at war on two frontiers which drained its resources, and like many of his predecessors, Nikephoros (802–811) himself died while campaigning against theBulgars to the north. Furthermore, Byzantium's influence continued to wane in the west with the crowning ofCharlemagne (800–814) asHoly Roman emperor byPope Leo III atOld St. Peter's Basilica in Rome in the year 800 and the establishment of anew empire in Western Europe laying claim to the universal Roman monarchy.

Nikephoros I had been the empire's finance minister and on Irene's deposition immediately embarked on a series of fiscal reforms. His administrative reforms included re-organisation of thethemata. He survived a civil war in 803 and, like most of the Byzantine emperors, found himself at war on three fronts. He suffered a major defeat at theBattle of Krasos in Phrygia in 805 and died on acampaign against the Bulgars.

Nikephoros was succeeded by his son and co-emperor,Staurakios (811). However, he was severely wounded in the same battle in which his father died and, after much controversy regarding the succession, was persuaded to abdicate later that year by the husband of his sisterProkopia,Michael I (811–813), who succeeded him.

Michael I pursued more diplomatic than military solutions. However, he engaged the BulgarKhanKrum, the same who claimed the lives of his two predecessors, and was also defeated, severely weakening his position. Aware of a likely revolt he chose to abdicate given the grisly fate of so many prior overthrown emperors, ending the brief dynasty of Nikephoros.

• Family tree of Byzantine emperors
• History of the Byzantine Empire

• 810s disestablishments
• Nikephorian dynasty
• 9th century in the Byzantine Empire
• 802 establishments
• 9th-century disestablishments in Asia
• 9th-century disestablishments in Europe

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• Articles containing Ancient Greek (to 1453)-language text
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