Two days ago, xiaobian introduced Octavian, the founding emperor of the Roman Empire, and Nero, the most brutal emperor of the Roman Empire. Octavian was one of the most prominent emperors in European history, on the contrary, Nero was one of the most brutal emperors in European history, his brutality was heinous, he killed people for pleasure at every turn, even his mother and wife died tragically at his hands, and finally he rebelled, was overthrown and committed suicide, with a reputation of ten thousand years of obsolescence.
Today, Xiaobian continues to introduce the Emperor of the Roman Empire. The Roman Empire has a total of three female emperors in history, all from the Eastern Roman Empire after the division of the Roman Empire, these three female emperors are Empress Irina of the Isurian Dynasty, Empress Zoe of the Macedonian Dynasty, and Empress Theodora of the Macedonian Dynasty, of which the throne of Empress Irina was snatched from her son, the throne of Empress Zoe was taken from her nephew, and the throne of Empress Theodora was picked up.
Empress Irina of Isuria (752–802):
The Isuridian dynasty was the fifth dynasty of the Eastern Roman Empire, and Empress Irina was the fifth and last emperor, from an aristocratic family, and at the age of 17 married the 19-year-old Third Emperor of the Isorian Dynasty, Leo IV. In 775 Leo IV succeeded his father Constantine V to the throne, and Empress Irina became empress.
Leo IV died in 780 and took the throne to His son Constantine VI, who took power as Empress Irina. In 790, Empress Irina returned to Constantine VI, but Constantine VI was mediocre and incompetent, causing dissatisfaction among his subjects. In 797, Empress Irina, with the support of her confidants, staged a palace coup, deposed and placed her son Constantine VI under house arrest, and then ascended the throne as emperor, becoming the first female emperor in the history of the Roman Empire and even Europe (there is an essential difference between a female emperor and a female king).
Empress Irina reigned for 5 years, achieved certain political achievements, and maintained friendly relations with Charlemagne of the Carolingian dynasty of the Frankish kingdom, and even planned to marry Charlemagne, but this political marriage was not yet decided, she was overthrown in 802 by the palace coup led by the minister Nikiphorus, the Isurian dynasty was overthrown, and she was placed under house arrest until her death in 803, at the age of 50.
Empress Zoe of Macedonia (978–1050):
The Macedonian Dynasty was the seventh dynasty of the Byzantine Empire, Empress Zoe was the daughter of the fourteenth Emperor, the tenth Emperor Constantine VIII, she had multiple identities, successively the empress of the eleventh Emperor Romanus III, the empress of the twelfth Emperor Michael IV, and the aunt of the thirteenth Emperor Michael V.
In 1034, Empress Zoe killed her first husband, Romanus III, and became his official wife and empress. In 1041, Michael IV died, Empress Zoe embraced her nephew Michael V, but unfortunately Michael V was mediocre and incompetent, Empress Zoe deposed her nephew Michael V in 1042, and then ascended the throne as emperor, becoming the second female emperor in the history of the Roman Empire and even Europe, marrying Constantine IX in the same year and making him co-emperor.
Co-emperorship is a special phenomenon in European history, simply put, two or more people jointly exercising the power of emperor to govern the country.
Empress Zoe reigned for 8 years, achieved some success, and died in 1050 at the age of 72.
Empress Theodora of Macedonia (984–1056):
Empress Theodora was the sister of Empress Zoe, the sixteenth and last Emperor of the Macedonian Dynasty, when Empress Zoe ascended the throne in 1042, she made her husband Constantine IX and her sister Empress Theodora the Co-Emperor in the same year, and in 1050 and 1055 Empress Zoe and Constantine IX died, becoming the only emperor. Since Empress Theodora's throne was given to her directly by her sister, Empress Zoe, it is said that her throne was picked up.
Empress Theodora reigned for 14 years, also achieving some success, and died in 1056 at the age of 72, and the Macedonian dynasty was destroyed by the extinction of its heirs.