Theodora, wife of Romanos I
Encyclopedia
Empress
Her origins and background are not known. She became the mother-in-law to Constantine VIIConstantine 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 May or June, 919 with the marriage of the young Emperor to her daughter Helena Lekapene. Her husband Romanos was Drungarios
Drungarios
A droungarios, also spelled drungarios or, in its English form, drungary, was a military rank of the late Roman and Byzantine Empires, signifying the commander of a droungos.-Late Roman and Byzantine army:...
(admiral) of the Byzantine navy
Byzantine navy
The Byzantine navy was the naval force of the East Roman or Byzantine Empire. Like the empire it served, it was a direct continuation from its imperial Roman predecessor, but played a far greater role in the defense and survival of the state then its earlier iterations...
and served as a Regent of their son-in-law.
Romanos was proclaimed basileopatōr
Basileopator
Basileopatōr was one of the highest secular titles of the Byzantine Empire. It was an exceptional post , and conferred only twice in the Empire's history...
("father of the emperor") on the occasion of the marriage. In September, 920, Romanos was invested as kaisar (Caesar
Caesar (title)
Caesar is a title of imperial character. It derives from the cognomen of Julius Caesar, the Roman dictator...
). On 17 December 920, Romanos was crowned co-emperor and in effect became the senior of the two associate emperors. Theodora was crowned as 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...
in January 921. She remained in the position until her death a year later.
Status as wife
She is the only wife of Romanos I mentioned in primary sources and is traditionally considered the mother of all his legitimate children. However there has been some question if she was only his second wife.Symeon Metaphrastes
Symeon Metaphrastes
Symeon the Metaphrast was the author of the 10 volume medieval Greek menologion, or collection of saint's lives. He lived in the second half of the 10th century...
identifies a certain magister Niketas as father-in-law of Romanos I. This would presumably make him father to Theodora. However Niketas is known from other chronicles to be the father of Sophia, wife of Christopher Lekapenos. Christopher was the eldest son of Romanos.
The reference is typically ignored as a probable mistake by Symeon. However "Familles Byzantines" (1975) by Jean-François Vannier interprets the comment to be correct and that both father and son had married daughters of Niketas. Which would mean Theodora could not be the mother of Christopher. Her son could not marry her sister.
The argument concludes that Christopher is the product of an earlier marriage and Theodora a second wife of Romanos.
Children
Her children with Romanos are considered to include:- Christopher LekapenosChristopher LekapenosChristopher Lekapenos or Lecapenus was the eldest son of Emperor Romanos I Lekapenos and co-emperor from 921 until his death in 931.- Life :...
, co-emperor from 921 to 931, who was married to the Augusta Sophia and was the father of Maria (renamed Eirene), who married Peter I of BulgariaPeter I of BulgariaPeter I was emperor of Bulgaria from 27 May 927 to 969.-Early reign:Peter I was the son of Simeon I of Bulgaria by his second marriage to Maria Sursuvul, the sister of George Sursuvul. Peter had been born early in the 10th century, but it appears that his maternal uncle was very influential at...
; Christopher's son Michael Lekapenos may have been associated as co-emperor by his grandfather. - Stephen LekapenosStephen LekapenosStephen Lekapenos was the second son of the Byzantine emperor Romanos I Lekapenos , and co-emperor from 924 to 945. Along with his younger brother Constantine he deposed Romanos I in December 944, only to be themselves overthrown and exiled by the legitimate emperor Constantine VII a few weeks...
, co-emperor from 924 to 945, died 967. - Constantine LekapenosConstantine LekapenosConstantine Lekapenos or Lecapenus was the third son of the Byzantine emperor Romanos I Lekapenos , and co-emperor from 924 to 945. Along with his elder brother Stephen he deposed Romanos I in December 944, only to be themselves overthrown and exiled by the legitimate emperor Constantine VII a...
, co-emperor from 924 to 945, died 946. - Theophylaktos LekapenosPatriarch Theophylaktos of ConstantinopleTheophylact Lekapenos was Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople from 2 February 933 to his death in 956.Theophylact was the youngest son of Emperor Romanos I Lekapenos by Theodora...
, patriarch of Constantinople from 933 to 956. - Helena LekapeneHelena LekapeneHelena Lekapene was the Empress consort of Constantine VII. She was a daughter of Romanos I and his wife Theodora.-Background:...
, who married Emperor Constantine VIIConstantine VIIConstantine VII Porphyrogennetos or Porphyrogenitus, "the Purple-born" was the fourth Emperor of the Macedonian dynasty of the Byzantine Empire, reigning from 913 to 959...
. - Agatha Lekapene, who married Romanos Argyros; their grandson was Emperor Romanos IIIRomanos IIIRomanos III Argyros was Byzantine emperor from 15 November 1028 until his death.-Biography:...
.