10 Facts About Constantine VII

Constantine VII was the son of Emperor Leo VI and his fourth wife, Zoe Karbonopsina, and the nephew of his predecessor Alexander.

Constantine VII is best known for the Geoponika, an important agronomic treatise compiled during his reign, and three, perhaps four, books; De Administrando Imperio, De Ceremoniis, De Thematibus, and Vita Basilii, though his authorship of the Vita Basilii is not certain.

Constantine VII was born in this room, although his mother Zoe had not been married to Leo at that time.

Constantine VII's was no more successful with the Bulgarians, who defeated her main supporter, the general Leo Phokas, in 917.

In 949, Constantine VII launched a new fleet of 100 ships against the Arab corsairs hiding in Crete, but like his father's attempt to retake the island in 911, this attempt failed.

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Constantine VII felt that the historical studies were being seriously neglected, mainly because of the bulk of the histories.

Constantine VII therefore decided that a selection under fifty-three titles should be made from all the important historians extant in Constantinople; thus he hoped to assemble in a more manageable compass the most valuable parts of each author.

Constantine VII was, we are told, a passionate collector—not only of books and manuscripts but works of art of every kind; more remarkable still for a man of his class, he seems to have been an excellent painter.

Constantine VII was the most generous of patrons—to writers and scholars, artists and craftsmen.

Constantine VII did much to develop higher education and took a special interest in the administration of justice.