Birthday Greetings #14

Happy birthday to Leo VI, emperor of Byzantium. Leo was supposedly the second emperor of the Macedonian dynasty being the "son" of Basil the first Macedonian (actually Armenian). It breaks down like this. Basil was an illiterate horse breaker who served one of the nobles in Constantinople. One day the emperor, Michael, was given a magnificent but untameable horse and said noble offered Basil's services. Basil calmed the horse down and a delighted Michael gave him a place in his own household. According to the histories (which were mostly written after Michael's death) the emperor was a worthless drunk who left most of the governing to one of his favourites. Now however he had a new favourite and it wasn't long before Basil had supplanted him (according to one story Basil hacked the man to bits in the emperors own tent). Now Basil was running the empire and it swiftly occurred to him that he could do it a lot better if he didn't have to humour an irritating drunk. Michael duly met a messy demise and Basil settled down to run the whole show. Some time prior to this Michael had forced Basil to divorce his wife and marry the emperors mistress. This was a handy way of introducing her into the palace. Leo was technically the son of Basil and this woman. Father and son seem to have loathed each other and when Basil died in a "hunting accident" Leo ascended to the throne.

Many things happened during Leo's reign, wars (which he mostly lost) a recodification of laws (which earned him the epithet "the Wise") and the opening of trade relations with the Russians (after a war or two first). The thing Leo is most remembered for is his wives. He had four of them which to the orthodox church was about three more than really appropriate. Perhaps as a reaction to the hint of illegitimacy which surrounded him Leo was desperate to have a recognised male heir. Unfortunately his first wife was a religious freak and eventually retired to a nunnery where she obligingly died. Leo cheerfully married his mistress (her own husband having equally conveniently died) and looked forward to a nursery full of kids. Unfortunately two years later (and without having produced the hoped for son) she also died. By this time Leo was getting a little desperate and the church was getting a little less easygoing. One marriage was fine, indeed appropriate. Two could be forgiven but three was just starting to turn the whole affair into a farce. But Leo was the emperor, arms were twisted, promises made and the marriage took place. Nine months later the empress gave birth to a boy but died on the delivery table. A few days later the infant son followed his mother to the grave. At this point Leo must have started to believe he was cursed. A clearer thinker would believe his wives were cursed. What to do? The church may have reluctantly agreed to a third marriage but they drew the line at four. Leo took a mistress and the church nodded approvingly (apparently this was better than yet another wife). The church was going to be disappointed. The mistress, Zoe, gave birth to a son and after a few nervous moments both looked like they were going to hang around. Now that he had a son Leo needed to make him legitimate and that meant marrying the boys mother. In deep secrecy before a simple parish priest Leo and Zoe were married. When the announcement was made the church exploded.

At this time the orthodox church was divided between two camps. The Photians who were intellectuals, worldly and generally sympathetic towards to emperor's position and the Ignatians who were narrow, generally uneducated and rabidly religious. The emperor had eased the path of his previous marriages by favouring the Photians but they had now nailed their colours to the mast by previously stating that the third marriage must be the last. Nothing loathe the emperor approached the Ignatians. Theoretically they should have been opposed to it but it is amazing how flexible a man can be when the patriarchy of Constantinople is dangled before his eyes. A pretext was found, the appointment was made and Leo's son was retrospectively legitimised. Leo had to miss out on going to church for a couple of years but to his mind the price was well worth it.

With the succession assured and his church tearing itself to bits Leo laid down life's weary burden thus ensuring that his widow and young son had a thoroughly miserable existence.