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ZAOUTZAINA Zoe
Birth: ABT 855 of Constantinople
Death: May 899
Notes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoe_Zaoutzaina
Zoe Zaoutzaina (died May 899) was a Byzantine Empress consort as the second wife
of the Byzantine emperor Leo VI the Wise. She was the daughter of Stylianos
Zaoutzes, a high-ranking bureaucrat during the reign of her husband.
Royal mistress[edit]
The work Theophanes Continuatus was a continuation of the chronicle of Theophanes
the Confessor by other writers, active during the reign of Constantine VII. According to
it Zoe was first married to Theodore Gouniatzizes, an otherwise obscure member of the
court. She became mistress to the Emperor after the death of her husband.
Theophanes records Theodore being poisoned, implicating Leo VI in his early demise.
Symeon Metaphrastes records Leo falling in love with her in the third year of his reign,
placing their meeting c. 889. At the time Leo was married to Theophano, daughter of
Constantine Martiniakos. Their marriage had been arranged by his father Basil I. They
had a daughter but the marriage of Leo VI and Theophano seems to have been
loveless.
Royal consort[edit]
In the seventh year of his reign (c. 893), Theophano retired to a monastery in the
Blachernae suburb of Constantinople. Theophano is considered particularly devoted to
the church throughout her life. Whether her retirement was voluntary is left vague by
both Theophanes and Symeon. Zoe replaced her in the palace and court life. There is
a contradiction on her particular status from c. 893 to 897. According to Symeon, the
marriage of Leo VI to Theophano was officially declared void, allowing Leo and Zoe to
marry within the year. According to Theophanes, the original marriage was still valid
and Zoe remained the royal mistress. Both agree however that her father Stylianos
Zaoutzes rose to the top of palace hierarchy and was even awarded the new title of
basileopator ("father of the emperor"), which he held until his death in 899.
Theophano died in her monastery on 10 November 897. According to Theophanes,
Leo and Zoe proceeded to marry at this point. Both Symeon and Theophanes agree
that Zoe was only crowned Augusta following the death of her predecessor.
Death[edit]
Zoe herself died in 899. According to De Ceremoniis by Constantine VII, she had
given birth to at least two daughters. However Leo VI still had no son and his
succession was not secure. Symeon records her being buried in the temple of her
namesake Hagia Zoe. However De Ceremoniis mentions her buried in the Church of
the Holy Apostles where Leo VI, Theophano and third wife Eudokia Baļana were also
buried. Providing both references were accurate, her remains were moved from the
original burial place to that of her husband.
Children[edit]
According to De Ceremoniis by Constantine VII, Leo VI and Zoe had at least two
daughters. However different copies of the text give two different names for the
second one:
Anna. Considered to have died young. Buried with her father and mother at the Church
of the Holy Apostles.
Anna or Eudocia. Eudocia was the name of the only daughter of Leo VI and
Theophano while Anna was the name of the first daughter of Leo VI and Zoe. In either
case possibly named after an already deceased half-sister or sister.
A letter written by Nicholas Mystikos mentions negotiations to betroth the second
daughter to Louis the Blind. Whether negotiations were ever completed and whether
the marriage ever occurred is not known. However some genealogists consider
Charles Constantine of Vienne to be the result of this marriage.
Parents
TZAUTZES Stylianos (ABT 825 - 899)
----- ----- ()
Siblings
ZAOUTZAINA Zoe (ABT 855 - May 899)
Marriage To ____ Leo VI "the Philosopher" (1 Sep 866 - 12 May 912)
m. 898
Notes
Parents
____ Basil I "the Macedonian" ( 827 - 29 Aug 889)
INGERINA Eudoxia (ABT 835 - ABT 882)
Children by ____ Leo VI "the Philosopher" 1 Sep 866 - 12 May 912
OF BYZANTIUM Anna (EST 898 - )
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