Eudokia was born about 840 and died about 882. She was the wife of the Byzantine emperor Basil I, the mistress of his predecessor Michael III, and the mother to both the Emperors Leo VI and Alexander and Patriarch Stephen I of Constantinople.
Eudokia was the daughter of Inger, a Varangian guard in the emperor's service. Her mother was a Martinakia and a distant relative to the imperial family
Because her family was iconoclastic, the Empress Mother Theodora strongly disapproved of them. About 855 Eudokia became the mistress of Theodora's son, Michael III, who thus incurred the anger of his mother and the powerful minister Theoktistos. Unable to risk a major scandal by leaving his wife, Michael married Eudokia to his friend Basil but continued his relationship with her. Basil was compensated with the emperor's sister Thekla as his own mistress.
Eudokia gave birth to a son, Leo, in September 866 and another, Stephen, in November 867. They were officially Basil's children, but this paternity was questioned, apparently even by Basil himself. The strange promotion of Basil to co-emperor in May 867 lends some support to the possibility that at least Leo was actually Michael III's illegitimate son. The parentage of Eudokia's younger children is not a subject of dispute, as Michael III was murdered in September 67.
A decade into Basil's reign, Eudokia became involved with another man, whom the emperor ordered to be tonsured as monk. In 882, she selected Theophano as wife for her son Leo, and died shortly afterwards.
Eudokia and Basil officially had six children:
Symbatios, renamed Constantine (c. 865 – 3 September 879). Co-emperor to Basil from 6 January 868 to his death. According to George Alexandrovic( Ostrogorsky, Constantine was betrothed to Ermengard of Provence, daughter of Louis II, Holy Roman Emperor and Engelberga in 869. The marrital contract was broken in 871 when relations between Basil and Louis broke down.
Leo VI (19 September 866 – 11 May 912), who succeeded as emperor and may actually have been the son of Michael III.
Stephen I (November 867 – 18 May 893), patriarch of Constantinople, who may also have been a son of Michael III.
Alexander (c. 870 – 6 June 913), who succeeded as emperor in 912.
Anna Porphyrogenita (d. 905/12 or after). A nun the convent of St Euphemia, Petron.
Helena Porphyrogenita (d. 905/12 or after). A nun the convent of St Euphemia, Petron.
Maria Porphyrogenita (d. 905/12 or after). A nun the convent of St Euphemia, Petron.
Eudokia was the daughter of Inger, a Varangian guard in the emperor's service. Her mother was a Martinakia and a distant relative to the imperial family
Because her family was iconoclastic, the Empress Mother Theodora strongly disapproved of them. About 855 Eudokia became the mistress of Theodora's son, Michael III, who thus incurred the anger of his mother and the powerful minister Theoktistos. Unable to risk a major scandal by leaving his wife, Michael married Eudokia to his friend Basil but continued his relationship with her. Basil was compensated with the emperor's sister Thekla as his own mistress.
Eudokia gave birth to a son, Leo, in September 866 and another, Stephen, in November 867. They were officially Basil's children, but this paternity was questioned, apparently even by Basil himself. The strange promotion of Basil to co-emperor in May 867 lends some support to the possibility that at least Leo was actually Michael III's illegitimate son. The parentage of Eudokia's younger children is not a subject of dispute, as Michael III was murdered in September 67.
A decade into Basil's reign, Eudokia became involved with another man, whom the emperor ordered to be tonsured as monk. In 882, she selected Theophano as wife for her son Leo, and died shortly afterwards.
Eudokia and Basil officially had six children:
Symbatios, renamed Constantine (c. 865 – 3 September 879). Co-emperor to Basil from 6 January 868 to his death. According to George Alexandrovic( Ostrogorsky, Constantine was betrothed to Ermengard of Provence, daughter of Louis II, Holy Roman Emperor and Engelberga in 869. The marrital contract was broken in 871 when relations between Basil and Louis broke down.
Leo VI (19 September 866 – 11 May 912), who succeeded as emperor and may actually have been the son of Michael III.
Stephen I (November 867 – 18 May 893), patriarch of Constantinople, who may also have been a son of Michael III.
Alexander (c. 870 – 6 June 913), who succeeded as emperor in 912.
Anna Porphyrogenita (d. 905/12 or after). A nun the convent of St Euphemia, Petron.
Helena Porphyrogenita (d. 905/12 or after). A nun the convent of St Euphemia, Petron.
Maria Porphyrogenita (d. 905/12 or after). A nun the convent of St Euphemia, Petron.
Eudokia was born about 840 and died about 882. She was the wife of the Byzantine emperor Basil I, the mistress of his predecessor Michael III, and the mother to both the Emperors Leo VI and Alexander and Patriarch Stephen I of Constantinople.
Eudokia was the daughter of Inger, a Varangian guard in the emperor's service. Her mother was a Martinakia and a distant relative to the imperial family
Because her family was iconoclastic, the Empress Mother Theodora strongly disapproved of them. About 855 Eudokia became the mistress of Theodora's son, Michael III, who thus incurred the anger of his mother and the powerful minister Theoktistos. Unable to risk a major scandal by leaving his wife, Michael married Eudokia to his friend Basil but continued his relationship with her. Basil was compensated with the emperor's sister Thekla as his own mistress.
Eudokia gave birth to a son, Leo, in September 866 and another, Stephen, in November 867. They were officially Basil's children, but this paternity was questioned, apparently even by Basil himself. The strange promotion of Basil to co-emperor in May 867 lends some support to the possibility that at least Leo was actually Michael III's illegitimate son. The parentage of Eudokia's younger children is not a subject of dispute, as Michael III was murdered in September 67.
A decade into Basil's reign, Eudokia became involved with another man, whom the emperor ordered to be tonsured as monk. In 882, she selected Theophano as wife for her son Leo, and died shortly afterwards.
Eudokia and Basil officially had six children:
Symbatios, renamed Constantine (c. 865 – 3 September 879). Co-emperor to Basil from 6 January 868 to his death. According to George Alexandrovic( Ostrogorsky, Constantine was betrothed to Ermengard of Provence, daughter of Louis II, Holy Roman Emperor and Engelberga in 869. The marrital contract was broken in 871 when relations between Basil and Louis broke down.
Leo VI (19 September 866 – 11 May 912), who succeeded as emperor and may actually have been the son of Michael III.
Stephen I (November 867 – 18 May 893), patriarch of Constantinople, who may also have been a son of Michael III.
Alexander (c. 870 – 6 June 913), who succeeded as emperor in 912.
Anna Porphyrogenita (d. 905/12 or after). A nun the convent of St Euphemia, Petron.
Helena Porphyrogenita (d. 905/12 or after). A nun the convent of St Euphemia, Petron.
Maria Porphyrogenita (d. 905/12 or after). A nun the convent of St Euphemia, Petron.
Eudokia was the daughter of Inger, a Varangian guard in the emperor's service. Her mother was a Martinakia and a distant relative to the imperial family
Because her family was iconoclastic, the Empress Mother Theodora strongly disapproved of them. About 855 Eudokia became the mistress of Theodora's son, Michael III, who thus incurred the anger of his mother and the powerful minister Theoktistos. Unable to risk a major scandal by leaving his wife, Michael married Eudokia to his friend Basil but continued his relationship with her. Basil was compensated with the emperor's sister Thekla as his own mistress.
Eudokia gave birth to a son, Leo, in September 866 and another, Stephen, in November 867. They were officially Basil's children, but this paternity was questioned, apparently even by Basil himself. The strange promotion of Basil to co-emperor in May 867 lends some support to the possibility that at least Leo was actually Michael III's illegitimate son. The parentage of Eudokia's younger children is not a subject of dispute, as Michael III was murdered in September 67.
A decade into Basil's reign, Eudokia became involved with another man, whom the emperor ordered to be tonsured as monk. In 882, she selected Theophano as wife for her son Leo, and died shortly afterwards.
Eudokia and Basil officially had six children:
Symbatios, renamed Constantine (c. 865 – 3 September 879). Co-emperor to Basil from 6 January 868 to his death. According to George Alexandrovic( Ostrogorsky, Constantine was betrothed to Ermengard of Provence, daughter of Louis II, Holy Roman Emperor and Engelberga in 869. The marrital contract was broken in 871 when relations between Basil and Louis broke down.
Leo VI (19 September 866 – 11 May 912), who succeeded as emperor and may actually have been the son of Michael III.
Stephen I (November 867 – 18 May 893), patriarch of Constantinople, who may also have been a son of Michael III.
Alexander (c. 870 – 6 June 913), who succeeded as emperor in 912.
Anna Porphyrogenita (d. 905/12 or after). A nun the convent of St Euphemia, Petron.
Helena Porphyrogenita (d. 905/12 or after). A nun the convent of St Euphemia, Petron.
Maria Porphyrogenita (d. 905/12 or after). A nun the convent of St Euphemia, Petron.
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