Euphrosyne (9th century)

Euphrosyne (Greek: Εὐφροσύνη; c. 790 – after 836), was a Byzantine empress by marriage to Michael II. She was a daughter of Byzantine emperor Constantine VI, the last representative of the Isaurian dynasty, and his empress Maria of Amnia.

Life

In January 795, Constantine VI divorced Maria and sent her along with Euphrosyne and her sister Irene to a convent on the island of Prinkipo. The Emperor then proceeded to marry his mistress Theodote.

Euphrosyne spent her life in the monastery until c. 823.

She was thus taken from her convent and entered the court as the new empress, but the highly controversial marriage proved barren. Michael II died on 2 October 829 and was succeeded by Theophilos, his son with Tekla.

As his stepmother, Euphrosyne was still able to take some decisions for the sixteen-year-old emperor. She proclaimed a

Theodora would go on to restore the

Euphrosyne appears twice more in the historical record. After rumours reached Constantinople that

St. Michael Synkellos records Euphrosyne offering him food, drink and clothing during his imprisonment in 836. Her offer of help to an imprisoned Iconodule again raises the question of her own religious tendencies. Her time of death is not recorded.

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