Romanos I Lekapenos
Romanos Romanos I. Lakapenos or Lekapenos (Greek Ρωμανὸς A ' Λεκαπηνός, * 870 in Lekapa in Cappadocia, † June 15 948 at Proti ) announced formally the throne of the Byzantine Empire by Constantine VII, but actually practiced from 920 to 944 from the sole power in the Reich.
Romanos had made in the Byzantine fleet career and was 917 went up to commander of the entire fleet. 918/19 or 919/20, the underage Emperor Constantine VII is turned to Romanos and asked him for help because he feared a takeover by the domestikos Leon Phocas. Romanos finally agreed to; the reign of the Emperor 's mother was withdrawn and transferred Romanos. Counter Romanos soon arose resistance. The mighty domestikos Leon Phocas revolted against him on the grounds that to proceed for Constantinople against the usurper, but the rebellion was soon put down.
After the marriage of his daughter Helena to Constantine VII Romanus was only for Basileopator (father of the emperor, see offices and titles in the Byzantine Empire ), then ( probably 920 ) has been appointed co-emperor. In fact, now led Romanos de facto government business. To secure its position and probably replace the Macedonian dynasty by his own family, he raised his eldest son Christophoros 921, and then 923 end his younger sons Stephen and Constantine to Mitkaisern. At the end of 921 Romanos had managed to assert themselves as senior emperor, Constantine VII was subordinated in the ranking. Apparently planned Romanos, that his son Christophoros should be after him the new emperor, as in diplomatic protocols also Christophoros before Constantine has now been set, but his eldest son died in August 931 Subsequently moved back Constantinople to the second position in the hierarchy.
Romanos tried domestically to control the accumulation of property, but had so little success. He reformed some of the military districts ( themes ). Furthermore occupied various construction projects of the emperor. Political and religious importance was that he could finish the 920 schism between supporters of deposed Patriarch Euthymius and those of Nikolaos Mystikos.
In foreign policy, joined Romanos 927 peace with the Bulgarians and smashed 941 an attack by the Varangians in Constantinople Opel. The peace in the West allowed him to concentrate his forces in the east, where General John Kurkuas after heavy fighting, the Emirate of Malatya / Melitene and other territories conquered and many of the princes of Armenia made to Byzantine vassal. A particular triumph was the recovery of the so-called Mandylion of Edessa in 944
Romanos was, possibly even in agreement with Constantine VII, issued in December 944 by his sons Stephen and Constantine. Romanos spent his last years as a monk on the island of Proti. In the further struggle for power in Constantinople Opel, Constantine VII was able to prevail. In the source novel is rated ambiguous: for some he was considered a usurper, but other sources portray him very positive.