Individual

Go to List of Family Names Go to List of People    < Previous Next >

Birth:          ABT  874 of Constantinople
Death:          20 Feb  923 

Notes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodora_(wife_of_Romanos_I)
Theodora (died 20 February 922) was a Byzantine Empress consort by marriage to 
Romanos I.
Empress[edit]

Her origins and background are not known. She became the mother-in-law to 
Constantine VII in May or June, 919 with the marriage of the young Emperor to her 
daughter Helena Lekapene. Her husband Romanos was originally the Droungarios of 
the Fleet, before rising to become the de facto regent of the Empire after the marriage, 
when he was proclaimed basileopator. In September, 920, Romanos was invested as 
kaisar (Caesar). On 17 December 920, Romanos was crowned co-emperor and in 
effect became the senior of the two associate emperors. Theodora was crowned as 
Augusta in January 921. She remained in the position until her death a year later.

Status as wife[edit]

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 Metaphrastes 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[edit]

Her children with Romanos are considered to include:
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 967.
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.


Marriage To LEKAPENOS Romanos I (ABT  869 - 15 Jun  948)
    m. ABT  889 his 1st

Notes

Parents
____ Theophylaktos (ABT  840 - )
----- ----- ()

Children by LEKAPENOS Romanos I ABT  869 - 15 Jun  948
LEKAPENOS Christopher (ABT  890 -  931)
LEKAPENA Agatha (ABT  903 - )
LEKAPENE Helena (Eleni) (ABT  906 - 19 Sep  961)

Produced by Fzip 1.7 6/20/2017