On the Administration of the Empire (De Administrando Imperio)

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

The emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus Porphyrogenitus Literally meaning "born in the purple," a title given to children born in the purple-marbelled room of the imperial palace, signifying their legitimacy as heirs to a reigning emperor. (905—959) was the second and only surviving son of the emperor Leo VI, known as "the Wise" (866—912), and his mistress and later fourth wife, Zoë Carbonopsina original: "Carbonopsina," which translates to "with the eyes like burning coals.". Constantine’s early life was marked by a series of misfortunes for which he was not responsible. He had a sickly constitution and remained an invalid throughout his life. His father’s own birth was considered of doubtful legitimacy, and Constantine himself was born outside of a formal marriage, though his status as a legitimate heir was eventually—and reluctantly—recognized. From the ages of eight to sixteen, he was used as a political tool by various powerful figures: his ill-willed uncle Alexander, his mother, the Patriarch The head of the Eastern Orthodox Church in Constantinople. Nicholas, and the admiral Romanus Lecapenus. After Romanus seized power in the year 920, Constantine was kept under a humiliating state of guardianship for the next twenty-four years. He was stripped of all power and influence. Although he was married to the usurper’s daughter, Helen, he was demoted to second, third, and perhaps even fifth place in the ranking of co-emperors. It was not until January 945, at nearly forty years old, that he was able to expel the Lecapenid family with the help of a group of guard officers loyal to his house. Only then did he finally sit alone on the throne that was rightfully his.

For the following fourteen years he governed, or appeared to govern. In reality, the true power seems to have been held by the Empress original: "Augusta" Helen, the commander of the bodyguard hetaeriarch Basil Peteinos, the city governor eparch Theophilus, the treasurer sacellarius Joseph Bringas, and the master of the wardrobe protovestiary Basil, the emperor’s illegitimate

¹ Sources in A. Rambaud, The Greek Empire in the Tenth Century original: "L’Empire grec au dixième siècle", (Paris, 1870), pp. 1—4. For his date of birth, see The Life of Euthymius original: "Vita Euthymii", (edited by de Boor, Berlin, 1888), pp. 116—118; R. J. H. Jenkins, Dumbarton Oaks Papers 19 (1965), pp. 108, 109.
² His elder brother, Basil, the son of his father’s third wife Eudocia, died as an infant; see The Book of Ceremonies original: "De Cer.", an abbreviation for "De Ceremoniis", (Bonn edition), volume I, p. 643.
³ For details on her family, see Theophanes Continuatus original: "Theoph. Cont.", a collection of historical writings continuing the work of the chronicler Theophanes., (Bonn edition), p. 370; On the Administration of the Empire original: "D. A. I.", chapter 22, line 79; The Life of Euthymius, p. 58; and G. Kolias, Leo Choerosphactes, (Athens, 1939), p. 18.
⁴ Theophanes Continuatus, pp. 212, 379, 459, 464, 465.