Theodora II

Nomisma of Theodora; her son Michael III on the lapel . , the real emperor, and her daughter Thekla .

Triumph of Orthodoxy, icon 14./15. Century, Theodora above left

Theodora (Greek: Θεοδώρα * around 805/807 in Elissa , Paphlagonia ; † February 11, 867 in Constantinople ) was the wife of the Byzantine emperor Theophilos and after his death regent of the Byzantine Empire (843-856). She reintroduced image worship in the church. She is therefore venerated as a saint in the Orthodox Church .

Life

Theodora was born around 805/807 in Elissa as the daughter of Marinos and Theoktiste. On June 5, 830 she married Emperor Theophilos (ruled 829-842).

Restoration of image worship

In the last year of her government (842) she suspended his church policy and in 843 convened the Synod of Constantinople under Patriarch Methodios I , in which the worship of images was finally permitted again and the iconoclastic clergy was expropriated. She also ordered the extermination of the Paulikians . More than 100,000 followers of this faith, 843 victims of mass executions; the survivors set up their own business in Central Anatolia under their leader Karbeas .

Regency (843-856)

After the death of her husband, she became regent for her three-year-old son Michael III. appointed. Together with the eunuch Theoktistos , she led the government with a firm hand, replenished the treasury and prevented the Bulgarians from invading.

To secure her power, she left the upbringing of her son to her brother Bardas . Theodora tried in vain to oppose Barda's authority; In 856 she was deposed and sent to a monastery when she was convicted in the aftermath of the intrigues against him.

On February 11, 867 she died in Constantinople.

progeny

Theodora and Theophilos had seven children:

• Constantine († 835), co-emperor (833–835)
• Thekla (around 831 – after 867), co-regent at times; according to some sources, the mistress of Basil I
• Anna (around 832–?)
• Anastasia (around 833–?)
• Pulcheria (around 836–?)
• Maria (around 838 – before 856), wife of Alexios Musele , general and at times heir to the throne
• Michael III (840–867), Kaiser (856–867)

literature

• Klaus-Peter Todt :  Theodora II .. In: Biographisch-Bibliographisches Kirchenlexikon (BBKL). Volume 11, Bautz, Herzberg 1996, ISBN 3-88309-064-6 , Sp. 924-929.
• Erwin Window: Theodora . In: Biographical Lexicon on the History of Southeast Europe . Volume 4. Munich 1981, p. 298

Web links

Commons : Theodora II.  - Collection of images, videos and audio files