Constantine Dalassenos (duke of Antioch)

Constantine Dalassenos
John the Orphanotrophos sends Ergodotes to Constantine Dalassenos, miniature from the Madrid Skylitzes
Bornc. 965 to 970
DiedUnknown
RankPatrikios, doux of Antioch
Battles/warsBattle of Azaz (1030)

Constantine Dalassenos (Greek: Κωνσταντίνος Δαλασσηνός, romanizedKōnstantinos Dalassēnos) was a prominent Byzantine aristocrat of the first half of the 11th century. An experienced and popular general, he came close to ascending the imperial throne by marriage to the porphyrogenita Empress Zoe (r. 1028–1050) in 1028. He accompanied the man Zoe did marry, Emperor Romanos III Argyros (r. 1028–1034), on campaign and was blamed by some chroniclers for Romanos' humiliating defeat at the Battle of Azaz.

He suffered a long period of imprisonment under Michael IV the Paphlagonian (r. 1034–1041), who feared that Dalassenos plotted against him. When Michael's successor was deposed in 1042, Zoe invited Dalassenos to an audience with a view to marrying him and making him emperor; displeased by his haughty manner she chose a more pliant man, Constantine IX Monomachos.


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