1. Eudokia Makrembolitissa was a Byzantine empress by her successive marriages to Constantine X Doukas and Romanos IV Diogenes.
21 Facts About Eudokia Makrembolitissa
1. 2.
Eudokia Makrembolitissa acted as ruler with her two sons in 1067, and resigned her rule by marriage to Romanos IV Diogenes.
3.
Eudokia Makrembolitissa was the daughter of John Makrembolites and a maternal niece of Michael I Cerularius, the patriarch of Constantinople, whose sister Keroularie had married Makrembolites.
4.
The birth date of Eudokia is unknown, but scholars often place it c 1030.
5.
Eudokia Makrembolitissa was Constantine's second wife, as his first one, a daughter of Duke Constantine Dalassenos, died soon after their marriage.
6.
Eudokia Makrembolitissa was meant only to take care of Michael and Konstantios, but Constantine knew that she had larger ambitions.
7.
One inscription on a silver reliquary, showing Constantine X and Eudokia Makrembolitissa, calls her "Great Empress of the Romans", suggesting that she was a co-ruler or successor to Constantine.
8.
On Constantine X's miliaresion, Eudokia Makrembolitissa has taken the place to the spectator's right, which is traditionally given to the co-emperor and successor to the throne.
9.
Eudokia Makrembolitissa holds the first place in the Hierarchical order, and she alone bears the imperial status.
10.
Eudokia Makrembolitissa issued a decree determining the distance between buildings being erected, and the inscription of only the name of Eudokia Makrembolitissa as its publisher presupposes her imperial capacity at the time of the issuance of the legislation.
11.
Eudokia Makrembolitissa had sworn on Constantine's deathbed not to remarry, and she even made the oath in the presence of patriarch John VIII Xiphilinos.
12.
Eudokia Makrembolitissa then chose Romanos IV Diogenes, a general who had great popularity with the army.
13.
Eudokia Makrembolitissa hoped that his skills and leadership would stop the advance of the Seljuk Turks in the East.
14.
Eudokia Makrembolitissa had two sons with Romanos IV, Nikephoros and Leo.
15.
Eudokia Makrembolitissa was probably crowned too in 1068, although he is ignored by contemporary chronicles.
16.
Eudokia Makrembolitissa is sometimes not even called "emperor", as some tetarteron only call him despotes and reserve the title basileus for Eudokia.
17.
Some sources state that Eudokia Makrembolitissa was already planning on deposing her husband, but this is very unlikely.
18.
The new regime only lasted one month, when Eudokia Makrembolitissa's opposition became strong enough to depose her, especially after news of Romanos release arrived at the capital.
19.
Michael VII was then proclaimed sole autokrator by John Doukas, who forced Eudokia Makrembolitissa to retire to a monastery as a nun.
20.
Eudokia Makrembolitissa continued to be influential even after her exile in 1071.
21.
Eudokia Makrembolitissa's last known action is the adoption of one of the cousins of Patriarch Michael I Cerularius.