28 Facts About Zoe Porphyrogenita

Zoe Porphyrogenita's death has been variously attributed to Zoe, her lover Michael, or both.

In 1041, Zoe Porphyrogenita was persuaded to adopt her dying husband's nephew, Michael Kalaphates.

Zoe Porphyrogenita's reign saw the decline of the Roman army, and the first incursions by the Turks into eastern Anatolia.

Zoe Porphyrogenita was the second daughter of Constantine VIII and his wife Helena.

Zoe Porphyrogenita's father had become co-emperor, at the age of two, in 962.

Consequently, Zoe Porphyrogenita lived a life of virtual obscurity in the imperial gynaeceum for many years.

Constantine and Zoe Porphyrogenita rejected the idea out of hand when it was revealed that the intended groom, Henry, the son of Conrad II, was only ten years old.

Zoe Porphyrogenita convinced Romanos to appoint one of his own men as the chief of Theodora's household, with orders to spy on her.

Zoe Porphyrogenita accused her of being part of the conspiracy, and Theodora was forcibly confined in the monastery of Petrion.

Zoe Porphyrogenita later visited her sister and forced her to take religious vows.

Almost immediately upon marrying Romanos the fifty-year-old Zoe Porphyrogenita tried desperately to become pregnant.

Zoe Porphyrogenita used magic charms, amulets, and potions, all without effect.

In 1033 Zoe Porphyrogenita became enamoured of a low-born servant called Michael.

Zoe Porphyrogenita flaunted her lover openly and spoke about making him emperor.

Zoe Porphyrogenita's abrupt rise to power had left him unprepared to rule, and he delegated much of the business of governing to his brother, the eunuch John the Orphanotrophos.

Eager to ensure that power remained in his hands, John the Eunuch forced Zoe Porphyrogenita to adopt his nephew Michael Kalaphates.

Zoe Porphyrogenita was forcibly tonsured and sworn into a religious order.

Zoe Porphyrogenita immediately assumed power and tried to force Theodora back to her monastery, but the Senate and the people demanded that the sisters should jointly reign.

Zoe Porphyrogenita initially guaranteed Michael's safety, but then ordered him to be blinded and to spend the rest of his life as a monk.

Theodora and Zoe Porphyrogenita appeared together at meetings of the Senate and gave public audiences, but it was apparent that their joint reign was under strain.

Zoe Porphyrogenita was still jealous of Theodora and had no desire to administer the empire; but she would not allow Theodora to conduct public business alone.

Zoe Porphyrogenita's preference was for Constantine Dalassenos, who had been her father's first choice as her husband back in 1028.

Zoe Porphyrogenita was brought for an audience before the Empress, but during their conversation his independent and forceful manner displeased Zoe, and he was dismissed from her presence.

Zoe Porphyrogenita died under mysterious circumstances a few days before the wedding was to take place, possibly poisoned by his own soon to be ex-wife.

Zoe Porphyrogenita then remembered the handsome and urbane Constantine Monomachos, another former lover.

Zoe Porphyrogenita got more than she bargained for when Constantine decided to bring with him to his new station his long-standing mistress Maria Skleraina.

The 64-year-old Zoe Porphyrogenita did not object to sharing her bed and her throne with Skleraina.

Zoe Porphyrogenita operated a cosmetics laboratory in the gynaeceum, and was said to have carried out experiments to improve the efficacy of the perfumes and unguents prepared there.