Byzantine Empire under the Amorian dynasty

Byzantine Empire Βασιλεία Ῥωμαίων ( Emperor
• 820–829	Michael II
• 829–842	Theophilos
• 842–867	Michael III
History
• accession of Michael II	820
• assassination of Michael III	867
Preceded by Succeeded by Byzantine Empire under the Nikephorian dynasty Byzantine Empire under the Macedonian dynasty First Bulgarian Empire Emirate of Crete Emirate of Sicily

The Byzantine Empire under the Amorian dynasty (or Phrygian dynasty) ruled from 820 to 867. The Amorian dynasty continued the policy of restored

During the Second Iconoclasm, the Empire began to see systems resembling feudalism being put in place, with large and local landholders becoming increasingly prominent, receiving lands in return for military service to the central government.^[2] Similar systems had been in place in the Roman Empire ever since the reign of Severus Alexander during the third century, when Roman soldiers and their heirs were granted lands on the condition of service to the Emperor.^[3]

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Michael II

Michael was originally a high-ranking soldier serving under Emperor Michael I Rangabe of the Nikephorian dynasty. He aided Leo V in his overthrow of Michael I, but, as relations worsened between Leo and Michael, Leo eventually sentenced Michael to death. In response, Michael led a conspiracy that resulted in the assassination of Leo on Christmas 820. Taking the throne for himself, Michael II was immediately faced with a revolt by Thomas the Slav, which became a civil war that lasted four years and almost cost Michael the throne. Michael continued the practice of iconoclasm, which had been reinvigorated by Leo V.

The reign of Michael II saw two major military disasters that would have permanent effects on the Empire: the beginning of the Muslim conquest of Sicily, and the loss of Crete to the Saracens.

Michael was not popular among the Orthodox clergy, but he would prove himself a competent statesman and administrator, eventually bringing much-needed stability to the Empire following decades of strife and warfare and even restorations of the military. He was succeeded by his only son, Theophilos, upon his death in 829.

Theophilos

Main article:

Tarsus. The Emperor returned to Constantinople in triumph, but in the autumn he was defeated in Cappadocia

. Another defeat in the same province in 833 forced Theophilos to sue for peace, which he obtained the next year, after the death of Al-Ma'mun.

War continued, and Theophilos personally led armies into Mesopotamia in 837, capturing Melitene and Arsamosata with a massive army numbering 70,000.^[5] Further battles and attacks would take place until Theophilos died of disease in 842. He was succeeded by his son Michael III.

Michael III

Main article:

iconodule sympathies and deposed the patriarch, John VII, replacing him with the iconodule Methodios I in 843. This put an end to the second spell of iconoclasm.^[6] Michael and his supporters overthrew this regency in 857, becoming Emperor proper.^[7]

His reign would see continued war against the Arabs and due to his pleasure-loving nature he was nicknamed "the Drunkard" by later chroniclers sympathetic to his murderer and successor Basil I.

Family tree

Nikephoros I emperor of the Romans 802-811 NIKEPHORIAN DYNASTY

Irene of Athens empress of the Romans 797-802

Theophano of Athens

Staurakios emperor of the Romans 811

Prokopia

Michael I Rangabe emperor of the Romans 811-813

Bardanes Tourkos

Maria of Amnia

Constantine VI emperor of the Romans 780-797

Anastasios Martinakios

Thekla

Michael II emperor of the Romans 820-829 AMORIAN/PHRYGIAN DYNASTY

2.Euphrosyne

Inger Martinakios

(1) Theophilos emperor of the Romans 829-842

saint Theodora from Paphlagonia

(daughter of Inger Martinakios)

Anna nun

Constantine prince

Michael III emperor of the Romans 842-867

Eudokia Ingerina

Basil I emperor of the Romans 867-886 MACEDONIAN DYNASTY

See also

• Family tree of Byzantine emperors

References

1. ISBN 90-04-10502-6
   .
2. ^ A. A. Vasiliev, History of the Byzantine Empire: 324–1453, p. 564.
3. ^ A.A. Vasiliev, History of the Byzantine Empire, p. 566.
4. ^ Timothy E. Gregory, A History of Byzantium, (Blackwell Publishing Ltd, 2010), 227.
5. ^ W. Treadgold, A History of the Byzantine State and Society, 440
6. ^ Treadgold, p. 447
7. ^ Treadgold, p. 450

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