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The Macedonian dynasty (Greek: Μακεδονική Δυναστεία) ruled the Byzantine Empire from 867 to 1056, following the Amorian dynasty. During this period, the Byzantine state reached its greatest extent since the Muslim conquests, and the Macedonian Renaissance in letters and arts began. The dynasty was named after its founder, Basil I the Macedonian who came from the Theme of Macedonia, which, at the time, was part of Thrace.

Origins

The dynasty's ethnic origin is unknown, and has been a subject of debate. During Basil's reign, an elaborate genealogy was produced that purported that his ancestors were not mere peasants, as everyone believed, but descendants of the Arsacid (Arshakuni) kings of Armenia, and also of Constantine the Great. However, some Persian writers such as Hamza al-Isfahani or Al-Tabari, call Basil a Saqlabi, an ethnogeographic term that usually denoted the Slavs, but it can be interpreted as a generic term encompassing the inhabitants of the region between Constantinople and Bulgaria.

Thus, claims have been made for the dynasty's founder (Basil I) being of Armenian, Slavonic, or "Armeno-Slavonic" descent from his paternal side. The name of his mother points to a Greek origin on the maternal side.

The author of the only dedicated biography of Basil I in English has concluded that it is impossible to be certain what the ethnic origins of the emperor were, though Basil was definitely reliant on the support of Armenians in prominent positions within the Byzantine Empire.

List of rulers

• Basil I the Macedonian (Βασίλειος Α') (811–886, ruled 867–886) – married the Varangian Eudokia Ingerina, mistress of Michael III; died in hunting accident
• Leo VI the Wise (Λέων ΣΤ') (866–912, ruled 886–912) – son of Eudokia Ingerina, legal son and heir of Basil I; possibly the natural son of Michael III; created church crisis with his fourth marriage—Zoe Karbonopsina, who took over as regent for their son, Constantine VII, in 914 and ruled the empire until 919
• Alexander (Αλέξανδρος) (870–913, ruled 912–913) – son of Basil I, regent for nephew
• Constantine VII the Purple-born (Κωνσταντῖνος Ζ') (905–959, ruled 913–920 and 945-959) – son of Leo VI and Zoe Karbonopsina; married Helena, daughter of Romanos Lekapenos
• Romanos I Lekapenos (ruled 920-945); Lekapenos staged a successful coup in 919 and became senior emperor in 920.
• Romanos II the Purple-born (Ρωμανός Β') (938–963, ruled 959–963) – son of Constantine VII
• Nikephoros II Phokas (Νικηφόρος Β' Φωκᾶς) (912–969, ruled 963–969) – successful general, married Romanos II's widow, regent for Basil; assassinated (Origin: Cappadocian)
• John I Tzimiskes (Ιωάννης Α')(925-976, ruled 969–976) – successful general, brother-in-law of Romanos II, lover of Nikephoros's wife but banned from marriage, regent for Basil II and Constantine VIII
• Basil II (Βασίλειος Β') the Bulgar-slayer (958–1025, ruled 976–1025) – son of Romanos II
• Constantine VIII (Κωνσταντῖνος Η') (960-1028, ruled 1025–1028) – son of Romanos II; silent co-emperor with Basil II, sole emperor after his brother's death
• Zoe (Ζωή) (c. 978–1050, ruled 1028–1050) – daughter of Constantine VIII
• Romanos III Argyros (Ρωμανός Γ') (968–1034, ruled 1028–1034) – eparch of Constantinople; Zoe's first husband, arranged by Constantine VIII; murdered
• Michael IV the Paphlagonian (Μιχαήλ Δ') (1010–1041, ruled 1034–1041) – Zoe's second husband
• Michael V the Caulker (Μιχαήλ Ε') (1015–1042, ruled 1041–1042) – Michael IV's nephew, Zoe's adopted son
• Theodora (Θεοδώρα) (980–1056, ruled 1042) – daughter of Constantine VIII, co-empress with Zoe
• Constantine IX Monomachos (Κωνσταντῖνος Θ') (1000–1055, ruled 1042–1055) – Zoe's third husband
• Theodora (Θεοδώρα) (ruled 1055–1056) – restored

Non-dynastic

• Michael VI (Μιχαήλ ΣΤ') (ruled 1056–1057) – chosen by Theodora; deposed and entered monastery

Family tree

• Basil I the Macedonian (813–886)
  • from his marriage to Maria:
    • Constantine (865–878), co-emperor with his father
    • Anastasia
  • from his marriage to empress Eudokia Ingerina:
    • Leo VI the Wise (866–912)
      • Eudokia (died 892)
      • Anna betrothed and married to Louis the Blind
      • Basil (died 900)
      • Constantine VII Porphyrogennetos (905–959), married Helena Lekapene, daughter of Romanos I Lekapenos
        • Romanos II (938–963) married to Bertha, daughter of Hugh of Italy king of Italy
          • childless by his marriage to Bertha of Italy
          • from his marriage to Theophano:
            • Basil II the Bulgar-Slayer (957–1025)
            • Constantine VIII (961–1028) married Helena, daughter of Alypius
              • Eudokia
              • Zoe (978–1050), married:
                1. Romanos III Argyros (ca. 968–1034)
                2. Michael IV the Paphlagonian (1015–1042)
                3. Constantine IX Monomachos (ca. 1000–1055)
              • Theodora (980–1056)
            • Anna Porphyrogeneta (963–1011), married Vladimir I of Kiev
        • Agathe
        • Theodora, married John I Tzimiskes
    • Stephen I (867–893), Patriarch of Constantinople
    • Alexander (870–913)

Genealogy

Michael III emperor of the Romans 842–867 Amorian/Phrygian dynasty

Eudokia Ingerina

Basil I emperor of the Romans 867–886

Maria

Romanos I Lekapenos emperor of the Romans 920–944

1. Theophano Martinakia 2. Zoe Zaoutzaina 3. Eudokia Baïana 4. Zoe Karbonopsina

Leo VI the Wise emperor of the Romans 886–912

Stephen I Patriarch of Constantinople 886–893

Alexander emperor of the Romans 912–913

Christopher Lekapenos co-emperor 921–931 ∞ Sophia

Agatha ∞ Romanos Argyros

Theophylact Patriarch of Constantinople 933–956

Helena Lekapene (Lekapenos)

(4) Constantine VII emperor of the Romans 913–959

(2) Anna ∞ Louis III the Blind king of Provence, king of Lombardy Bosonids

(Maria) Irene Lekapene ∞ Peter I king of Bulgaria 927–969

Argyros

Nikephoros II Phokas emperor of the Romans 963–969 Phokas

(Anastasia) Theophano from Laconia

Romanos II emperor of the Romans 959–963

Theodora Porphyrogenita empress

John I Tzimiskes emperor of the Romans 969–976 Kourkouas

Charles Constantine count of Vienne

Pothos (or Eustathios) Argyros general

Basil II emperor of the Romans 976–1025

Constantine VIII emperor of the Romans 1025–1028 ∞ Helena of Alypius

Anna Porphyrogenita ∞ Vladimir I the Great grand prince of Kiev Rurik dynasty

Constance of Vienne ∞ Boson II count of Arles

Maria Argyre ∞ Giovanni Orseolo duke of Dalmatia

Basil Argyros general of Samos

1.Romanos III Argyros emperor of the Romans 1028–1034

Zoë Porphyrogenita empress of the Romans 1028–1050 ∞ 2.Michael IV the Paphlagonian emperor of the Romans 1034–1041

3.Constantine IX Monomachos emperor of the Romans 1042–1055

Helena Skleraina

Theodora empress of the Romans 1055–1056

(daughter) ∞ Constantine Diogenes

(adopted) Michael V Kalaphates emperor of the Romans 1041–1042

Anastasia Monomachaina ∞ Vsevolod I of Kiev

Romanos IV Diogenes emperor of Romans 1068–1071

Eudokia Makrembolitissa empress

Constantine X Doukas emperor of the Romans 1059–1067 DOUKAS DYNASTY

Vladimir II Monomakh grand prince of Kiev

See also

• Lekapenos
• Phokas (Byzantine family)
• Byzantine Empire under the Macedonian dynasty

References

1. Treadgold, Warren T. (1997). A History of the Byzantine State and Society. Stanford University Press. p. 457. ISBN 978-0-8047-2630-6.
2. Leo VI. Imperium Byzantinum, Imperator 865-912 (1932). Oraison funèbre de Basile I. Pont. Inst. Orientalium Stud. OCLC 1073789498.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
3. Tobias, Norman (2007). Basil I, founder of the Macedonian Dynasty : a study of the political and military history of the Byzantine Empire in the Ninth century. Lewiston, N.Y.: The Edwin Mellen Press. ISBN 978-0-7734-5405-7. OCLC 166873121.
4. "The Reign of Leo VI (886-912): Politics and People. Shaun Tougher". Speculum. 76 (1): 236–238. January 2001. doi:10.2307/2903773. ISSN 0038-7134.
5. Treadgold 1997, p. 455
6. Peter Charanis.Studies on the demography of the Byzantine empire: collected studies Variorum Reprints, 1972 p223(360):"Thus, every emperor who sat on the Byzantine throne the accession of Basil I to the death of Basil II (867—1025) was of Armenian or partially Armenian origin. But besides the emperors there were many others among the military and political leaders of Byzantine during this period who were Armenians or of Armenian descent"
7. Tobias 2007, p. 20. Tobias is referring to the writings of Hamza al-Isfahani, a 10th-century Persian scholar.
8. Finlay 1853, p. 213 harvnb error: no target: CITEREFFinlay1853 (help).
9. Vasiliev 1928–1935, p. 301 harvnb error: no target: CITEREFVasiliev1928–1935 (help)
10. Kargakos, Sarantos I. (1999). Historia tou Hellēnikou kosmou kai tou meizonos chōrou : Eurōpē, Asia, Aphrikē, Amerikē (1. ekd ed.). Athēna: Gutenberg. ISBN 960-01-0822-6. OCLC 44045861.
11. Tobias 2007, p. 264
12. Chris Wickham, The Inheritance of Rome

Sources

• Fine, John V. A. Jr. (1991) . The Early Medieval Balkans: A Critical Survey from the Sixth to the Late Twelfth Century. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press. ISBN 0-472-08149-7.
• Obolensky, Dimitri (1974) . The Byzantine Commonwealth: Eastern Europe, 500-1453. London: Cardinal. ISBN 9780351176449.
• Ostrogorsky, George (1956). History of the Byzantine State. Oxford: Basil Blackwell.
• Runciman, Steven (1988) . The Emperor Romanus Lecapenus and His Reign: A Study of Tenth-Century Byzantium. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521357227.
• Stephenson, Paul (2000). Byzantium's Balkan Frontier: A Political Study of the Northern Balkans, 900-1204. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521770170.
• Stephenson, Paul (2003). The Legend of Basil the Bulgar-Slayer. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521815307.
• Thurn, Hans, ed. (1973). Ioannis Scylitzae Synopsis historiarum. Berlin-New York: De Gruyter. ISBN 9783110022858.
• Treadgold, Warren (1997). A History of the Byzantine State and Society. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press. ISBN 0-8047-2630-2.

• Macedonian dynasty