Euphrosyne (c. 790–840)

Byzantine empress and supporter of Iconophiles. Pronunciation: YOU-fro-SOON-ey. Born in Constantinople around 790; died in 840; daughter of Maria of Amnia and Constantine VI Porphyrogenitus, Byzantine emperor (r. 780–797); second wife of Michael II of Amorion, Byzantine emperor (r. 820–829); children: (stepchild) Theophilus.

Euphrosyne was the daughter of the Byzantine emperor Constantine VI and the granddaughter of the empress Irene of Athens (c. 752–802). Reportedly beautiful, she had little interest in participating in public life and entered the convent on the island of Prinkipo where she lived with her mother Maria of Amnia . She was later married to the emperor Michael II (820–29) after the death of his first wife Thecla . Michael chose Euphrosyne because of her ties to the imperial family, but, since she was also a nun, the marriage was considered unseemly and brought condemnation from leading Byzantine churchmen. Euphrosyne did not have children but became stepmother to the future emperor Theophilus (r. 829–842). For her stepson, she arranged a "bride-show" whereby a group of women deemed worthy to become the future empress were selected from different regions of the empire and brought to Constantinople to be interviewed by Theophilus. He chose the future empress and regent Theodora the Blessed (r. 842–856) to be his wife.

At this time, the Byzantine emperors were promoting the religious policy of iconoclasm whereby the use of the icon in religious worship was forbidden, and they ordered the destruction of any artwork that depicted religious figures. Theodora and Euphrosyne, however, both favored the restoration of the icons in Orthodox worship. After Theophilus succeeded to the throne, Euphrosyne returned to the convent at Prinkipo. Theophilus later learned that she was secretly venerating the icons in her convent with his daughters, including St. Thecla and Anastasia . He then prohibited his daughters from ever visiting his stepmother again. Euphrosyne died in 840. Theophilus' wife Theodora would later bring about the formal restoration of the icons after her husband's death.

sources:

Bekker, I., ed. Theophanes Continuatus. Bonn: Corpus Scriptorum Historiae Byzantinae, 1838.

Bury, J.B. A History of the Eastern Roman Empire. London, 1912.

suggested reading:

Ostrogorsky, George. History of the Byzantine State. 2nd ed. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 1968.

Treadgold, Warren. A History of the Byzantine State and Society. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 1997.

Vasiliev, A.A. History of the Byzantine Empire, 324–1453. Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin Press, 1952.

Dr. John F. Shean , Visiting Assistant Professor, Clarion University of Pennsylvania