Eudokia Makrembolitissa - Life

Life

She married Constantine sometime before 1050. By Constantine she had seven children; one died as a child and two, Konstantios and Zoe, were born after Constantine became Byzantine emperor in 1059. When Constantine died in 1067 she, as a crowned Augusta, was confirmed as regent for their sons Michael VII and Konstantios, along with Constantine's brother, the Caesar John Doukas. Michael VII was just old enough to rule on his own, but nevertheless was considered co-emperor with his younger brother, while Eudokia ran the administration of the empire.

She had also sworn on Constantine's deathbed not to marry again, and had even imprisoned and exiled Romanos Diogenes, who was suspected of aspiring to the throne. However, perceiving that she was not able to avert the invasions which threatened the eastern frontier of the empire unaided, she revoked her oath and married Romanos, without the approval of John Doukas, the patriarch John Xiphilinos, or Michael VII. The marriage took place on January 1, 1068, and Romanus was immediately proclaimed co-emperor as Romanos IV. With his assistance Eudokia was able to dispel the impending danger. She had two sons with Romanos IV, Nikephoros and Leo. Another of Eudokia and Constantine's sons, Andronikos Doukas, was now made co-emperor by Romanos IV, although he had been excluded from power by his own father, mother, and brothers. However, Eudokia did not live very happily with her new husband, who was warlike and self-willed and increasingly excluded her from power. When he was taken prisoner by the Seljuk Turks at the Battle of Manzikert (1071), Eudokia and Michael again assumed the government, until it was discovered that Romanos had survived and was returning to Constantinople. John Doukas and the Varangian Guard then compelled Eudokia to leave power to Michael and retire to a convent.

After Michael VII was deposed in 1078 by Nikephoros III, Eudokia was recalled by the new emperor who offered to marry her. This plan did not come to pass, due to the opposition of the Caesar John Doukas, and Eudokia died as a nun sometime after the accession of Alexius I Comnenus in 1081.