Constantine VII

Constantine VII called Constantine Porphyrogenitus or Porphyrogenitus (Greek Κωνσταντῖνος Ζ ' Πορφυρογέννητος, the Purple -born "because he was the son of the emperor in purple chamber of the imperial palace in Constantinople Opel to the world; * 905 in Constantinople Opel, † November 9 959 ibid.), was the son of the Byzantine emperor Leo VI. and its later fourth wife Zoe Karvounopsina, nephew of the co-regent of his father, Alexander. From 913-959 he was Byzantine emperor. Constantine became famous mainly because of his work De administrando Imperio and De Ceremoniis that are related to the so-called Macedonian Renaissance.

Life and government

Constantine was the illegitimate son of Leo VI. born as this - was initially denied a fourth marriage to Zoe Karvounopsina by the Patriarch of Constantinople Opel Nicholas I - according to the decisions of the Synod of Trullo. To back up his claims yet, Constantine was brought in purple chamber of the Imperial Palace to the world in which usually were the legitimate and intended successor to the rule of the Byzantine emperor to the world. He was proclaimed heir to the throne of his father and his uncle Alexander on May 15, 908 After the death of his father and his uncle's 912 in the year 913 Constantine VII ascended at the age of seven years the throne during the reign of Nicholas I. Its reign was dominated by the confrontation with Simeon of Bulgaria, he - to secure peace - as "Tsar ( Emperor, gr Basileus ) of the Bulgarians and Rhomäer " ( = Byzantines ) recognized. Because of this concession Nicholas I of Constantine's mother Zoe Karvounopsina was forced out of the regency.

Since Zoë was just as unsuccessful in dealing with the Bulgarians - they announced the agreement concluded with the Bulgarians contracts -, mounted after years of slow ascent in the year 920 Romanos I. Lekapenos - Byzantine admiral and now father of Constantine - as a co-regent of the young ruler to the throne. Konstantin From then kept away from the government. Because of its unattractive appearance, and his silence because he was forced to resign in the line of succession behind Romanus I 's eldest son, Constantine spent a rather sad youth. However, as a smart young man, he used the years that he was in fact excluded from power, for a variety of studies, particularly the Byzantine court ceremonial.

After Romanus I was forced by his sons in 944 to resign, Constantine secured in the subsequent intrigues the government violence he from 945 - now 39 years old - practiced as sole ruler. Soon after, he crowned his son Romanos II co-regent. Since he had never been introduced to the exercise of power, he delegated most of the tasks and powers of courtiers and generals, not least to his feisty wife Helena Lekapene.

Nevertheless, he enacted laws to protect the Stratioten and small farmers. Successfully defended the empire against the Arabs in Asia Minor and against the Magyars in the Balkans during his reign. He even managed, in the east to reclaim areas for Byzantium. The Romanos begun under internal and external consolidation of the empire continued under his administration. Middle of the 10th century Byzantium was again the most important power in the Mediterranean.

This was also reflected in far-reaching diplomatic activities. Pomp legations Constantine traveled et al Caliph Abd al-Rahman III. of Córdoba and to King Otto I to Quedlinburg. In the autumn of 957 came Olga of Kiev, Princess of Kievan Rus, Byzantium. The occasion of this visit could not yet be clarified. In any case, the princess was baptized in Constantinople Opel on the name Helena and began the Christianization of their compatriots.

Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus died on November 9, 959; According to a rumor he was poisoned by his son, Romanus II, or his daughter Theophanou.

With his wife Helena Lekapene Constantine had several children, among others, who died young Leo, Romanos II and Theodora, who was married to the Byzantine Emperor John I. Tzimiskes.

The Emperor as a writer

Constantine VII has remained to posterity as the author remembered. He wrote or made ​​in his name to submit three works Byzantine statecraft. Constantine himself conferred the title not because they were not intended for publication, but only for his successor. Constantine wrote his works in Greek; today's standard title comes from the first print editions that have arisen much later in Italy and therefore have Latin title. De cerimoniis aulae Byzantinae ( The ceremonies at the imperial court ), describes the Byzantine court ceremonies and functions of the palace servants and gives an insight into the power center of the Byzantine state at the time of the Macedonian dynasty. De thematibus ( using the topics ) for a description of the Byzantine themes, which replaced the old civil administration of the provinces. De administrando Imperio ( From the Government of the Kingdom ) deals with the internal and foreign policy of the empire; the book was intended as a guideline for Constantine's successor.

The Emperor was also an avid collector of books and art, and he was also active as a painter.

Works

• De imperio administrando
• De thematibus
• De cerimoniis aulae Byzantinae
• Narratio de imagine Edessena
• Oratio de translatione Chrysostomi
• Oratio ad milites

Expenditure

• Luci Berkowitz, Karl A. Squitier: Thesaurus Linguae Graecae: Canon of Greek Authors and Works. New York, 1990, ISBN 0-19-506037-7.
• Leopold Breyer ( ed.): From Farm to the imperial throne: the life of the emperor Basil I, the founder of Makedon. Dynasty. Described by his grandson, the Emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus. Translator, inlaid. and explained. by Leopold Breyer. Graz, Vienna, Cologne 1981, ISBN 3-222-10292-9.
• Ernst Doblhofer: selected from the Excerpta de legationibus of Konstantinos Porphyrogenitus sections of Priscus and Menander Protector: Byzantine diplomats and eastern barbarians. Translator, inlaid. and explained by Ernst Doblhofer. Byzantine historian Vol 4 Graz, Vienna, Cologne 1955.
• John F. Haldon: Constantine Porphyrogenitus three treatises on imperial military expeditions. Vienna 1990, ISBN 3-7001-1778-7.
• Albert Vogt: Le Livre des Cérémonies. Texts établi et trad par Albert Vogt. Les Belles Lettres, Paris, 1967 ( Collection Byzantine ).