Theophanu, empress
Overview
Biography
(See also Genealogical Table(s): 2.)
Theophanu was a Byzantine noblewoman, whose uncle acceded to the throne. That she was not herself of imperial descent, not born to the purple (porphyrogenita), but a niece of the man who had taken over the throne in a coup (John Tzimiskes), was a source of disappointment to some when she married the son of Otto I. But Theophanu had been educated to play a role in an imperial court. She was personally impressive and intelligent and she participated in her husband’s government, traveling with him — the court had no fixed center — even on military campaigns.(1) They had five children, of whom four survived: Otto III, Adelaide (abbess of Quedlinburg), Sophia (abbess of Gandersheim), and Matilda (who married the count palatine Ezzo). When Otto II died in December 983, Theophanu served as regent for their son, Otto III, at first sharing the regency with her mother-in-law, empress Adelaide, but eventually taking over on her own. Through the regency, she was formally associated with her son in his documents and actions, and foreign rulers negotiated with her. She is called imperatrix or imperator in official documents. Though she had differences with her mother-in-law, empress Adelaide, some of them inherited from her husband,(2) the two worked together to secure the throne for Otto III from his cousin, Henry II of Bavaria (“the Wrangler”), who had proclaimed himself king. Theophanu died in 991, still in her 30’s.
Letters to Theophanu, empress
A letter from Adalbero, archbishop of Reims ()A letter from Adalbero, archbishop of Reims ()
A letter from Adalbero, archbishop of Reims ()
A letter from Adalbero, archbishop of Reims (985)
A letter from Emma, queen ()
A letter from Gerbert of Aurillac/Reims ()
A letter from Gerbert of Aurillac/Reims ()
A letter from Hugh Capet, King of France ()
A letter from Hugh Capet, King of France ()