Zoe Porphyrogenita

Zoe Porphyrogenita
Empress and Autocratess of the Romans
Contemporary mosaic of Zoe presenting a scroll to Jesus Christ, at Hagia Sophia: a caption (not shown) reads, "Zoe, the very pious Augusta"[1]
Byzantine empress regnant
Reign	21 April 1042 – 11 June 1042[2]
Coronation	21 April 1042
Predecessor	Michael V Kalaphates
Successor	Constantine IX
Co-monarch	Theodora[2]
Byzantine empress consort
Tenure	1028–1041 and 1042–1050
Emperors	Romanos III (1028–1034) Michael IV (1034–1041) Constantine IX (1042–1050)
Byzantine empress mother
Tenure	1041–1042
Emperor	Michael V (1041–1042)
Born	c. 978 Constantinople (now Istanbul, Turkey)
Died	1050 (aged 72) Constantinople
Burial	Constantinople
Spouses	Romanos III (1028–1034) Michael IV (1034–1041) Constantine IX (1042–1050)
Issue	Michael V (adopted)
Dynasty	Macedonian
Father	Constantine VIII
Mother	Helena

Zoe Porphyrogenita (also spelled Zoë; Greek: Ζωή Πορφυρογέννητη, Medieval Greek: [zoˈi] "life"; c. 978 – 1050) was a member of the Macedonian dynasty who briefly reigned as Byzantine empress in 1042, alongside her sister Theodora. Before that she was enthroned as empress consort or empress mother to a series of co-rulers, two of whom were married to her.

Zoe was born when her father Constantine was nominal co-emperor to his brother, Basil II. After a marriage to Holy Roman Emperor Otto III in 996 failed to materialise, Zoe spent subsequent years in the imperial palace. Basil died in 1025 when Zoe was 47, and her father acceded the Byzantine throne as Constantine VIII. As he had no sons, Constantine hoped to continue the dynasty by marrying off one of his daughters. Zoe, aged 50, was married to Romanos Argyros. They took the throne the next day on her father's death.

The marriage of Zoe and Romanos III was troubled, and Romanos was found dead in his bath in 1034. His death has been variously attributed to Zoe, her young lover, or both. Zoe and her lover were married on the same day as the supposed murder, and he was crowned Emperor Michael IV on the following day. In 1041, Zoe was persuaded to adopt her dying husband's nephew, Michael Kalaphates. Once Michael V became emperor, he promptly exiled Zoe. This action sparked a popular revolt which dethroned him and installed Zoe and her sister Theodora as joint empresses. After a two-month joint reign, Zoe married a former lover who was installed as Constantine IX, transferring power to him. However, she continued to rule the empire as its heir and as the Byzantine empress. Eight years later, Zoe died aged 72. Her reign saw the decline of the Roman army, and the first incursions by the Turks into eastern Anatolia.