Andronikos Doukas (co-emperor)
Encyclopedia
Andronikos Doukas Latinized as Andronicus Ducas, was the third son of Byzantine Emperor Constantine X Doukas (r. 1059–1067) and younger brother of Byzantine Emperor Michael VII Doukas (r. 1071–1078). Unlike his other brothers, he was not named junior co-emperor by his father, and was raised to the dignity only by Romanos IV Diogenes (r. 1068–1071). He is otherwise relatively insignificant, and was not involved in the affairs of state to any degree.
, he was born ca. 1057. He studied under Michael Psellos
, and several works survive that were compiled by the prominent scholars of the day to aid him in his studies: one treatise on geometry
by Psellos and two philosophical essays by John Italos. Psellos also compiled a laudatory monody
on Andronikos after the latter's death, sometime after 1077.
Unlike his other two surviving brothers (the elder, the future Michael VII Doukas, and the younger Konstantios Doukas
, who was a porphyrogennetos), he was not raised by his father to the position of co-emperor. Thus, and unlike them, he did not participate in the short regency of Eudokia that followed his father's death in 1068. It was only Romanos IV
, who married Eudokia and thus succeeded Constantine X, who raised him to co-emperor, perhaps at Eudokia's request, but also for political reasons: the multitude of co-emperors, which soon included the two sons of Eudokia by Romanos, weakened the position of Constantine X's children. Furthermore, during his absence from Constantinople
on campaign in the East soon after his accession, Romanos took Andronikos with him as a virtual hostage.
During the reign of his elder brother Michael VII, Andronikos continued as co-emperor, and was even possibly raised above Konstantios in precedence. He was happy to be managed by the bureaucrats who dominated Michael's reign, while his love of hunting consumed much of his leisure time before dying during the chaos of Michael's final years. Curiously, despite his apparent lack of ability and purely decorative function as co-emperor, Andronikos is included in some later lists of Byzantine emperors, coming between Romanos and Michael VII.
According to Psellos' monody, Andronikos was married to an unnamed woman, who died soon after his own death. He had no descendants.
Life
The third son of Constantine X Doukas and Eudokia MakrembolitissaEudokia Makrembolitissa
Eudokia Makrembolitissa was the second wife of the Byzantine emperor Constantine X Doukas. After his death she acted as regent and became the wife of Romanos IV Diogenes...
, he was born ca. 1057. He studied under Michael Psellos
Michael Psellos
Michael Psellos or Psellus was a Byzantine monk, writer, philosopher, politician and historian...
, and several works survive that were compiled by the prominent scholars of the day to aid him in his studies: one treatise on geometry
Geometry
Geometry arose as the field of knowledge dealing with spatial relationships. Geometry was one of the two fields of pre-modern mathematics, the other being the study of numbers ....
by Psellos and two philosophical essays by John Italos. Psellos also compiled a laudatory monody
Monody
In poetry, the term monody has become specialized to refer to a poem in which one person laments another's death....
on Andronikos after the latter's death, sometime after 1077.
Unlike his other two surviving brothers (the elder, the future Michael VII Doukas, and the younger Konstantios Doukas
Konstantios Doukas
Konstantios Doukas , Latinized as Constantius Ducas, was the son of Byzantine Emperor Constantine X Doukas and younger brother of Byzantine Emperor Michael VII Doukas...
, who was a porphyrogennetos), he was not raised by his father to the position of co-emperor. Thus, and unlike them, he did not participate in the short regency of Eudokia that followed his father's death in 1068. It was only Romanos IV
Romanos IV
Romanos IV Diogenes was a member of the Byzantine military aristocracy who, after his marriage to the widowed empress Eudokia Makrembolitissa was crowned Byzantine emperor and reigned from 1068 to 1071...
, who married Eudokia and thus succeeded Constantine X, who raised him to co-emperor, perhaps at Eudokia's request, but also for political reasons: the multitude of co-emperors, which soon included the two sons of Eudokia by Romanos, weakened the position of Constantine X's children. Furthermore, during his absence from Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
on campaign in the East soon after his accession, Romanos took Andronikos with him as a virtual hostage.
During the reign of his elder brother Michael VII, Andronikos continued as co-emperor, and was even possibly raised above Konstantios in precedence. He was happy to be managed by the bureaucrats who dominated Michael's reign, while his love of hunting consumed much of his leisure time before dying during the chaos of Michael's final years. Curiously, despite his apparent lack of ability and purely decorative function as co-emperor, Andronikos is included in some later lists of Byzantine emperors, coming between Romanos and Michael VII.
According to Psellos' monody, Andronikos was married to an unnamed woman, who died soon after his own death. He had no descendants.