Romanos II facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Romanos II |
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| Emperor and Autocrat of the Romans | |
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Idealized portrait of a young Romanos II (aged 7–11), from the Romanos Ivory, AD 945–949
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| Byzantine emperor | |
| Reign | 9 November 959 – 15 March 963 |
| Coronation | 6 April 945 as co-emperor |
| Predecessor | Constantine VII |
| Successor | Nikephoros II |
| Co-emperors | Constantine VII (945–959) Basil II (960–963) Constantine VIII (962–963) |
| Born | 938 |
| Died | 15 March 963 (aged 24–25) |
| Spouse | Bertha-Eudokia of Arles Theophano |
| Issue | Basil II Constantine VIII Anna Porphyrogenita |
| Dynasty | Macedonian |
| Father | Constantine VII |
| Mother | Helena Lekapene |
Romanos II (Greek: Ρωμανός, born in 938, died March 15, 963) was a Byzantine Emperor. He ruled from 959 to 963. He became emperor after his father, Constantine VII, when he was 21 years old. Romanos II died suddenly four years later. His son, Basil II, later became emperor in 976.
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Early Life and Family
Romanos II was the son of Emperor Constantine VII. His mother was Helena Lekapene. She was the daughter of Emperor Romanos I Lekapenos. Romanos II was named after his grandfather. He was born in 938.
When he was a child, Romanos was married to a girl named Bertha. She was the daughter of Hugh of Italy, who was the King of Italy. This marriage was meant to create an alliance between their families. Bertha changed her name to Eudokia after they were married. Sadly, she died young in 949.
Becoming Co-Emperor
In 945, Romanos' father, Constantine VII, became the sole emperor. On April 6, 945, which was Easter, Constantine crowned his son Romanos as a co-emperor. This meant Romanos would share the title and power with his father.
After Bertha's death, Romanos was allowed to choose his next wife. He chose a woman named Anastaso. They married in 956. Anastaso then changed her name to Theophano.
Romanos II's Reign
In November 959, Romanos II became the main emperor after his father passed away. Romanos made many changes in the royal court. He replaced his father's old advisers with his own friends. He also sent his mother, Empress Helena, away from the court. His five sisters were sent to live in convents.
Despite these changes, many of Romanos' new appointees were very skilled. One important adviser was Joseph Bringas, who was a eunuch.
Military Victories
Romanos II enjoyed a life of pleasure. He often left military matters to his talented generals. The most famous were the brothers Leo Phokas and Nikephoros Phokas.
In 960, Nikephoros Phokas led a large fleet to Crete. This fleet had many soldiers and sailors, perhaps up to 30,000 in total. After a difficult campaign, Nikephoros successfully took control of the entire island in 961. This was a big victory for the Byzantine Empire.
After his success in Crete, Nikephoros was sent to the eastern border. There, the Emir of Aleppo, Sayf al-Dawla, was often attacking Byzantine lands. Nikephoros captured Cilicia and even the city of Aleppo in 962. He took many treasures from the Emir's palace.
Meanwhile, Leo Phokas and Marianos Argyros helped stop attacks from the Magyars in the Byzantine Balkans.
Death of Romanos II
Romanos II became ill after a long hunting trip. He died on March 15, 963. He was only 24 or 25 years old. There were rumors that his wife, Theophano, had poisoned him. However, there is no proof of this. It would have been very risky for Theophano to do this. She was already a powerful empress. Becoming a widowed regent for her young children would have been a much less secure position.
Romanos II trusted his wife and officials like Joseph Bringas. This led to a good government. However, some nobles, especially military leaders, did not like this. After Romanos' death, his wife Theophano became the regent for their young sons. She later married the general Nikephoros Phokas. He then became emperor. Later, another general, John I Tzimiskes, also became emperor. The rights of Romanos' sons were protected. Eventually, his eldest son, Basil II, became the main emperor.
Children of Romanos II
Romanos II had at least three children with his second wife, Theophano:
- Basil II, born in 958. He later became a very famous emperor.
- Constantine VIII, born in 960. He also became emperor after his brother.
- Anna Porphyrogenita, born on March 13, 963. She later married a Russian prince.
Gallery
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Gold solidus depicting Constantine VII with Romanos II, 945–959.
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The Romanos Ivory, 945–949.
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Depiction of a young Romanos II on a Ivory plaque, c. 945–959.
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Solidus of Romanos II as sole ruler, 959–963.
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See also
In Spanish: Romano II para niños
