Porphyrogenitos
Encyclopedia
Porphyrogénnētos, Latinized as Porphyrogenitus ' onMouseout='HidePop("78099")' href="/topics/Born_in_the_purple">born in the purple
") was an honorific title given to a son, or daughter (Πορφυρογέννητη, Porphyrogénnētē, Latinized Porphyrogenita), of a reigning emperor
in the Byzantine Empire
. However, not every imperial prince or princess was accorded this distinction. There was a prescribed set of circumstances that had to be in place before this title could be granted.
. The concept of dynastic legitimacy however was inherited from earlier monarchies, and reached its peak in the period when the Macedonian dynasty
, Komnenoi and Palaiologoi dominated the imperial throne. The title porphyrogénnētos is not attested before 846, but as a declaration of legitimacy it was found useful in dynastic nomenclature in the 10th century, and survived until well into the Palaiologan period.
Constantine VII
, in his work De Ceremoniis
, describes the ceremonies attending the birth of a porphyrogénnētos.
Chamber, a pavilion
of the Great Palace of Constantinople
): no child born anywhere else could legitimately be called Porphyrogénnētos. This pavilion was a free-standing building in the Great Palace complex in Constantinople. As the Porphyrogennētē Anna Komnena described it, the room rested on one of the Palace's many terraces, overlooking the Sea of Marmora and the Bosphorus Strait, "where the stone oxen and the lions stand" (i.e. the Boukoleon Palace), and was in the form of a perfect square from floor to ceiling, with the latter ending in a pyramid
. Its walls, floor and ceiling were completely veneered with Imperial Porphyry, which was "generally of a purple colour throughout, but with white spots like sand sprinkled over it."
(Greek: βασιλεύς, the Greek
word for King or Emperor), and the mother must be married to the Basileus (and therefore an empress) and additionally must have undergone a formal, sacred ceremony creating her an Augusta
.
Some Imperial diplomatic missions were accomplished on the condition of a porphyrogénnēta bride being sent to solidify the bargain, or of a foreign princess coming to Constantinople to marry a porphyrogénnētos.
Born in the purple
Traditionally, born in the purple was a term used to describe members of royal families although the term was later expanded to include all children born of prominent or high ranking parents. The parents must be prominent at the time of the child's birth so that the child is always in the spotlight...
") was an honorific title given to a son, or daughter (Πορφυρογέννητη, Porphyrogénnētē, Latinized Porphyrogenita), of a reigning emperor
Emperor
An emperor is a monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife or a woman who rules in her own right...
in the Byzantine Empire
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
. However, not every imperial prince or princess was accorded this distinction. There was a prescribed set of circumstances that had to be in place before this title could be granted.
History
Throughout their history, the Byzantine emperors never restricted the imperial succession to primogeniturePrimogeniture
Primogeniture is the right, by law or custom, of the firstborn to inherit the entire estate, to the exclusion of younger siblings . Historically, the term implied male primogeniture, to the exclusion of females...
. The concept of dynastic legitimacy however was inherited from earlier monarchies, and reached its peak in the period when the Macedonian dynasty
Macedonian dynasty
The Macedonian dynasty ruled the Byzantine Empire from 867 to 1056, following the Amorian dynasty. During this period, the Byzantine state reached its greatest expanse since the Muslim conquests, and the Macedonian Renaissance in letters and arts began. The dynasty was named after its founder,...
, Komnenoi and Palaiologoi dominated the imperial throne. The title porphyrogénnētos is not attested before 846, but as a declaration of legitimacy it was found useful in dynastic nomenclature in the 10th century, and survived until well into the Palaiologan period.
Constantine VII
Constantine VII
Constantine VII Porphyrogennetos or Porphyrogenitus, "the Purple-born" was the fourth Emperor of the Macedonian dynasty of the Byzantine Empire, reigning from 913 to 959...
, in his work De Ceremoniis
De Ceremoniis
De Ceremoniis is the Latin title of a description of ceremonial protocol at the court of the Eastern Roman emperor in Constantinople. It is sometimes called De ceremoniis aulae byzantinae...
, describes the ceremonies attending the birth of a porphyrogénnētos.
The Porphýra/Porphyry Chamber
This designation's most distinctive condition was that the child be born in the "Πορφύρα" (Porphýra, the Purple or PorphyryPorphyry (geology)
Porphyry is a variety of igneous rock consisting of large-grained crystals, such as feldspar or quartz, dispersed in a fine-grained feldspathic matrix or groundmass. The larger crystals are called phenocrysts...
Chamber, a pavilion
Pavilion (structure)
In architecture a pavilion has two main meanings.-Free-standing structure:Pavilion may refer to a free-standing structure sited a short distance from a main residence, whose architecture makes it an object of pleasure. Large or small, there is usually a connection with relaxation and pleasure in...
of the Great Palace of Constantinople
Great Palace of Constantinople
The Great Palace of Constantinople — also known as the Sacred Palace — was the large Imperial Byzantine palace complex located in the south-eastern end of the peninsula now known as "Old Istanbul", modern Turkey...
): no child born anywhere else could legitimately be called Porphyrogénnētos. This pavilion was a free-standing building in the Great Palace complex in Constantinople. As the Porphyrogennētē Anna Komnena described it, the room rested on one of the Palace's many terraces, overlooking the Sea of Marmora and the Bosphorus Strait, "where the stone oxen and the lions stand" (i.e. the Boukoleon Palace), and was in the form of a perfect square from floor to ceiling, with the latter ending in a pyramid
Pyramid
A pyramid is a structure whose outer surfaces are triangular and converge at a single point. The base of a pyramid can be trilateral, quadrilateral, or any polygon shape, meaning that a pyramid has at least three triangular surfaces...
. Its walls, floor and ceiling were completely veneered with Imperial Porphyry, which was "generally of a purple colour throughout, but with white spots like sand sprinkled over it."
Basileus and Augusta
The other important qualification for status as a Porphyrogénnētos was that the father must be a reigning BasileusBasileus
Basileus is a Greek term and title that has signified various types of monarchs in history. It is perhaps best known in English as a title used by the Byzantine Emperors, but also has a longer history of use for persons of authority and sovereigns in ancient Greece, as well as for the kings of...
(Greek: βασιλεύς, the Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
word for King or Emperor), and the mother must be married to the Basileus (and therefore an empress) and additionally must have undergone a formal, sacred ceremony creating her an Augusta
Augusta (honorific)
Augusta was the imperial honorific title of empresses. It was given to the women of the Roman and Byzantine imperial families. In the third century, Augustae could also receive the titles of Mater castrorum and Mater Patriae .The title implied the greatest prestige, with the Augustae able to...
.
Context
Byzantine emperors - Porphyrogénnētoi or not - were conventionally viewed as personages legitimated by God as rulers; the focus of the title Porphyrogénnētos was that it imbued its honoree with the sense of the pre-ordained, of earthly continuity and legitimacy.Some Imperial diplomatic missions were accomplished on the condition of a porphyrogénnēta bride being sent to solidify the bargain, or of a foreign princess coming to Constantinople to marry a porphyrogénnētos.