It is not my purpose at the moment to describe the object of their choice, but I will say that the man chosen was pretty well the best candidate, except that he was the sort of person less qualified to rule than to be ruled and led by others. He was already in the autumn of his years, verging on old age, and his hair was completely grey.
21. This was the man, therefore, that they persuaded her to nominate as their future sovereign. There was no hesitation on her part and she at once crowned him as her successor. She lingered on for a little while, still as empress, and died four months before the year’s end.**163 So Michael ascended the imperial throne, only to be deprived of power soon after. Before I enter on any description of him as a man, however, I will give a brief introduction to his reign.
Notes
76. ‘Women’s quarters.’
77. It had been the custom for high offices to be bought. This practice was now forbidden and letters were sent to the provinces to this effect (Cedrenus, 753)
78. Nicolaus was appointed to high office in the East and Constantine Cabasilas in the West. George Maniaces became magister and was sent back to Italy as supreme commander there (Cedrenus, ibid.).
79. The Nobilissimus was recalled from exile and forced to surrender to the empresses his own considerable fortune. He was then banished a second time (Cedrenus, 753A)
80. Constantine Catepanus, surnamed Artoclinas, who was said to have been a lover of Zoe in the past.
81. Possibly poisoned by his own wife, who, says Cedrenus (753C, p. 542), could not bear to lose him.
82. Cedrenus, who is not without some humor, suggests that Zoe decided to marry Monomachus because one Constantine was as good as another: Catepanus had been murdered, therefore another of the same name should take his place! At the beginning of the reign he had been recalled from exile (John the Guardian of the Orphans had sent him to Mitylene) and was given a post in Greece.
83. One of Zoe’s chamberlains, a eunuch, Stephanus Pergamenus, was sent to escort him to the palace.
84. The Byzantine Church forbade a third marriage.
85. The ceremony was performed by the priest Stypes on 11. June 1042. The patriarch crowned Constantine the next day.
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