Theodora (wife of Romanos I)
Theodora | |
---|---|
Empress of the Byzantine Empire | |
Tenure | 920–922 |
Died | 20 February 922 |
Spouse | Romanos I Lekapenos |
Issue Detail | Christopher Lekapenos Stephen Lekapenos Constantine Lekapenos Theophylaktos Lekapenos Helena Lekapene Agatha Lekapene |
Theodora (
Empress
Nothing is known of her background except for the fact that she was born into a family of
Status as wife
She is the only wife of Romanos I mentioned in primary sources and is traditionally considered the mother of all his legitimate children. However, there has been some question if she was only his second wife.
Symeon the Metaphrast identifies a certain magister Niketas as father-in-law of Romanos I. This would presumably make him father to Theodora. However, Niketas is known from other chronicles to be the father of Sophia, wife of Christopher Lekapenos. Christopher was the eldest son of Romanos. The reference is typically ignored as a probable mistake by Symeon. However, "Familles Byzantines" (1975) by Jean-François Vannier interprets the comment to be correct and that both father and son had married daughters of Niketas, which would mean Theodora could not be the mother of Christopher. Her son could not marry her sister. The argument concludes that Christopher is the product of an earlier marriage and Theodora a second wife of Romanos.
Children
Her children with Romanos are:
- Christopher Lekapenos, co-emperor from 921 to 931, who was married to the Augusta Sophia and was the father of Maria (renamed Irene), who married Peter I of Bulgaria; Christopher's son Michael Lekapenos may have been associated as co-emperor by his grandfather.
- Stephen Lekapenos, co-emperor from 924 to 945, died 963.
- Constantine Lekapenos, co-emperor from 924 to 945, died 946.
- Theophylaktos Lekapenos, patriarch of Constantinople from 933 to 956.
- Helena Lekapene, who married Emperor Constantine VII.
- Agatha Lekapene, who married Romanos Argyros; their grandson was Emperor Romanos III Argyros.