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{{Short description|Byzantine emperor from 962 to 1028}}
{{Good article}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2025}}
{{Infobox monarch
| name         = Constantine VIII
| image        = Constantine VIII in the Exultet roll (2).jpg
| image_size   = 230px
| caption      = Contemporary miniature of Constantine VIII, from a [[Bari]] [[Exultet roll]]{{sfn|Brand|Cutler|1991|pp=503–504}}{{sfn|Spatharakis|1976|pp=91–95}}
| succession   = [[Byzantine emperor]]
| coronation   = 30 March 962
| cor-type     = byzantine 
| reign        = 15 December 1025{{dash}}<br />11 November 1028<ref group="n.">Co-Emperor with [[Romanos II]] (962–963), [[Nikephoros II Phokas]] (963–969), [[John I Tzimiskes]] (969–976) and [[Basil II]] (962–1025)</ref>
| predecessor  = [[Basil II]]
| successor    = [[Romanos III Argyros|Romanos III]]
| spouse       = [[Helena (daughter of Alypius)|Helena]]
| issue        = {{ubl|[[Eudokia (daughter of Constantine VIII)|Eudokia]]|[[Zoe Porphyrogenita|Zoe]]|[[Theodora Porphyrogenita|Theodora]]}}
| royal house  = 
| dynasty      = [[Macedonian dynasty]]
| father       = [[Romanos II]]
| mother       = [[Theophano (born Anastaso)|Theophano]]
| birth_date   = 960
| birth_place  = 
| death_date   = 11/12 November 1028<br />(aged 67–68)
| death_place  = 
| burial_place = 

| 
| title = [[List of Byzantine emperors|Emperor and Autocrat of the Romans]]
}}

'''Constantine VIII''' ({{langx|el|Κωνσταντῖνος|Kōnstantīnos}};<ref group="n.">Also called '''[[Porphyrogenitus]]''' ({{langx|el|Πορφυρογέννητος|Porphyrogénnētos}}), although the epithet is almost exclusively used for [[Constantine VII]].</ref> 960&nbsp;– 11/12 November 1028) was ''[[de jure]]'' [[Byzantine emperor]] from 962 until his death. He was the younger son of Emperor [[Romanos II]] and Empress [[Theophano (born Anastaso)|Theophano]]. He was nominal co-emperor from 962, successively with his father; stepfather, [[Nikephoros II Phokas]]; uncle, [[John I Tzimiskes]]; and brother, [[Basil II]]. Basil's death in 1025 left Constantine as the sole emperor. He occupied the throne for 66 years in total, making him ''de jure'' the longest-reigning amongst [[List of Roman emperors|all Roman emperors]] since [[Augustus]].

Constantine displayed a lifelong lack of interest in politics, statecraft and the military, and during his brief sole reign the government of the [[Byzantine Empire]] suffered from mismanagement and neglect. He had no sons and was instead succeeded by [[Romanos Argyros]], husband of his daughter [[Zoe Porphyrogenita|Zoe]].

==Family==
[[Image:Romanos et Eudoxie.JPG|thumb|left|upright|Constantine VIII's father (left) in the [[Romanos Ivory]]]]

Constantine was born in 960, two years after his brother [[Basil II|Basil]]. Their parents were [[Romanos II]], the sixth Byzantine emperor of the [[Macedonian dynasty]], and his second wife [[Theophano (born Anastaso)|Theophano]], an innkeeper's daughter described by contemporaries as ambitious and amoral.{{sfn|Norwich|1991|p=174}} Aged eight, Constantine was engaged to a daughter of Emperor [[Boris II of Bulgaria]] but in the end, he married a Byzantine aristocrat, [[Helena, daughter of Alypius]]. Of their three daughters, [[Eudokia (daughter of Constantine VIII)|Eudokia]] became a nun after contracting [[smallpox]], [[Zoe Porphyrogenita|Zoe]] was empress for 22 years, and [[Theodora Porphyrogenita (11th century)|Theodora]] reigned for 18 months as the last monarch of the Macedonian line.{{sfn|Garland|1999|pp=165–66}}

==Life==
{{multiple image
| direction = vertical
| width     = 220
| image1    = Constantine VII and Romanos II solidus.jpg
| caption1  = Gold ''[[solidus (coin)|solidus]]'' of [[Romanos II]]'s father [[Constantine VII]] (left) and Romanos II (right), with a [[Halo (religious iconography)|haloed]] Christ on reverse
| image2    = Histamenon nomisma-Nicephorus II and Basil II-sb1776.jpg
| caption2  = ''[[Histamenon]]'' of [[Nikephoros II]] (left) and [[Basil II]] (right)
| image3    = Histamenon nomisma-John I-sb1776.jpg
| caption3  = ''Histamenon'' of [[John Tzimiskes]] crowned by the Virgin Mary
}}

===Childhood===
Romanos died suddenly in 963. Although Constantine was only three years old, he had already been crowned co-emperor in the preceding year, probably on 30 March.{{sfn|Brand|Cutler|1991|pp=503–504}} The widowed Theophano installed herself as [[regent]] for her sons and stocked the [[Byzantine bureaucracy and aristocracy|imperial government]] with supporters, but she faced competition for power with [[Joseph Bringas]], a former advisor of Romanos. Theophano allied with [[Nikephoros II|Nikephoros Phokas]], a celebrated general and opponent of Bringas. In return for her hand, the childless Nikephoros gave his sacred pledge to protect her children and their interests. Three months after Romanos' death, supporters of Nikephoros ousted Bringas from power.{{sfn|Ostrogorsky|1957|p=284}} Nikephoros was crowned emperor in the presence of his nominal co-emperors, Constantine and Basil. A month later he married their mother.{{sfn|Norwich|1991|pp=174–75, 183–190}}

Six years later, Nikephoros was murdered at Theophano's instigation and her lover and co-conspirator [[John Tzimiskes]] was acclaimed emperor. Fearing that the empress' many enemies would damage his political prospects, Tzimiskes turned against Theophano and sent her into exile. Constantine and Basil stayed in the capital and retained their status as co-emperors.{{sfn|Ash|1995|p=248}}{{sfn|Norwich|1991|p=240}}

===Adulthood===
Tzimiskes died in January 976, when Constantine was sixteen years old, and Basil and Constantine became the new heads of state. Nominally the brothers were equals, but Basil devoted himself to the responsibilities of his office and emerged as the senior ''Basileus''.{{sfn|Ostrogorsky|1957|p=264}} Constantine had no comparable interest in state business, and never developed any.{{sfn|Norwich|1991|p=231}} Apart from participating in a military campaign in 989, which ended without any combat,{{sfn|Norwich|1991|pp=242–43}} he occupied his years as Basil's colleague with private interests.

In his youth Constantine was tall, graceful, and athletic, with an excellent speaking voice and a good grasp of rhetoric. He participated in wrestling competitions—which he brought back into fashion—and in the training and riding of horses. Alongside these active pursuits he was a gourmet and a gourmand,{{sfn|Norwich|1991|pp=267, 269}} leading in later years to chronic [[gout]] which impaired his ability to walk.

===Emperor===
{{multiple image
| direction = vertical
| width     = 170
| align     = left
| image1    = Histamenon of Basil II & Constantine VIII.png
| caption1  = ''[[Histamenon]]'' of Constantine VIII and Basil II
| image2    = Histamenon of Constantine VIII.png
| caption2  = ''Histamenon'' of Constantine VIII as sole emperor
}}

Basil II had an illustrious reign, pursuing both government reforms and a series of successful wars. He died childless on 15 December 1025 and Constantine, a sixty-five-year-old widower, became the sole emperor as Constantine VIII. During his long term as co-emperor, he had been content to enjoy the privileges of imperial status, without concerning himself with state affairs.{{sfn|Brand|Cutler|1991|pp=503–504}} Sole rulership did not fundamentally alter this desire "to pass his life wallowing in extravagant pleasures".{{sfn|Ostrogorsky|1957|p=265}}

[[File:Appointment of Alexios Stoudites as patriarch.png|thumb|Appointment of [[Alexius of Constantinople|Alexius Stoudites]] as patriarch (top) by Emperor Constantine VIII]]

The Byzantine aristocracy had been rigorously controlled by Basil II. By comparison, they judged Constantine to be "[d]evoid of any semblance of moral fibre", and worked steadily to extract concessions from him.{{sfn|Norwich|1991|p=268}} Unqualified men received senior government posts, and Basil's land laws were dropped under pressure from the aristocracy of [[Anatolia]]. These interactions with Constantine were not without risk; when challenged, or led to suspect conspiracies, the emperor responded with impulsive cruelty. Condemned members of the elite suffered torture or were sentenced to [[political mutilation in Byzantine culture|blinding]].

[[File:Emperor Constantine VIII orders the blinding of Nikephoros Komnenos.png|thumb|Emperor Constantine VIII (left) orders the blinding of [[Nikephoros Komnenos]]. Miniature from the ''[[Madrid Skylitzes]].'']]
The start of the decline of the Byzantine Empire has been linked to Constantine's accession to the throne.{{sfn|Ostrogorsky|1957|p=283}} His reign has been described as "an unmitigated disaster", "a break up of the system" and the cause of "a collapse of the military power of the Empire".{{sfn|Norwich|1991|pp=283, 268}}{{sfn|Ostrogorsky|1957|p=264}}

He ruled for less than three years before his death, on 11 or 12 November 1028.{{refn|Sources do not agree on the exact date of his death.<ref>''[[Lupus Protospatharius]]''; [http://www.thelatinlibrary.com/protospatarius.shtml 1029]: "mortuus est Constantinus Imperator in vigilia S. Martini." On the eve of [[Martin of Tours]]', that is, the day before 12 November (unless it's referring to the very same day).</ref><ref>''[[Georgius Cedrenus]]'' − ''[[Corpus Scriptorum Historiae Byzantinae|CSHB]]'' '''9''': [https://books.google.com/books?id=nbkVAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA484 484-5]: "Nona Novembris die, indictione 12, anno 6537, subito morbo correptus Constantinus... triduo post Constantinus vivendi finem fecit, cum vixisset annos." The Latin translation indicates that he fell ill on the 9th and died 3 days later. However, the text could also be interpreted as ''the third day since'' his illness, that is, 11 November.</ref><ref>According to the ''[[Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium|ODB]]'', [[Yahya of Antioch]] gives 12 November.</ref><ref>The [https://archive.org/details/kleinchroniken1/page/n80/mode/1up Chronicle 15/7] of the ''Chronica byzantina breviora'' gives 11 November, although it also gives Basil's death as 12 December.</ref>|group="n."}} On his deathbed and without a male heir, Constantine named as successor [[Constantine Dalassenos (duke of Antioch)|Constantine Dalessenos, Duke of Antioch]], a senior aristocrat and member of one of the few powerful patrician families who had been unswervingly loyal to the Macedonian dynasty.{{sfn|Norwich|1991|p=269}} Constantine Dalassenos was summoned from his estates in the [[Armeniac Theme]], with the intention that he should certify his position as successor by marrying the emperor's daughter Zoe. Before Dalassenos completed his journey to [[Constantinople]], the situation had changed. The emperor's advisors preferred a different candidate, [[Romanos III Argyros|Romanos Argyros]], who showed promise of being a weak ruler whom they could control. Characteristically, Constantine acquiesced to this preference. Romanos was named as the new imperial heir, and compelled to divorce his wife and marry Zoe. The wedding took place on 12 November and Romanos was crowned four days later.{{sfn|Ostrogorsky|1957|p=322}}

==Ancestry==
{{Ahnentafel
|align=center|collapsed=yes
|boxstyle_1=background-color: #fcc;
|boxstyle_2=background-color: #fb9;
|boxstyle_3=background-color: #ffc;
|boxstyle_4=background-color: #bfc;
|1= 1. '''Constantine VIII'''
|2= 2. [[Romanos II]]<ref name="ODB-Genealogy">{{harvnb|ODB|loc="Macedonian dynasty" genealogical table, p. 1263}}.</ref>
|3= 3. [[Theophano (born Anastaso)|Theophano]]<ref name="Theophano">{{harvp|Garland|1999|pp=126, 128}}</ref><ref name="ODB-Genealogy"/>
|4= 4. [[Constantine VII]]<ref name="ODB-Genealogy"/>
|5= 5. [[Helena Lekapene]]<ref name="ODB-Genealogy"/><ref name="ODB-Lekapenos">{{harvnb|ODB|loc="Lekapenos" (A. Kazhdan), pp. 1203–1204}}.</ref>
|6= 6. Krateros (a tavern keeper)<ref name="Theophano"/>
|7=
|8= 8. [[Leo VI the Wise]]<ref name="ODB-Genealogy"/>
|9= 9. [[Zoe Carbonopsina]]<ref name="ODB-Genealogy"/>
|10= 10. [[Romanos I Lekapenos]]<ref name="ODB-Genealogy"/>
|11= 11. [[Theodora, wife of Romanos I|Theodora]]<ref name="ODB-Lekapenos"/>
|12=
|13=
|14=
|15=
}}

==See also==
{{Portal|Byzantine Empire}}
* [[List of Byzantine emperors]]

==Notes==
{{Reflist|group=n.}}

==References==
=== Citations ===
{{Reflist|30em}}

===Bibliography===
{{sfn whitelist|CITEREFBrandCutler1991}}

====Primary sources====
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book|last=Psellus|first=Michael|url=https://archive.org/details/fourteenbyzantin00psel|title=Chronographia|publisher=Penguin|year=1979|isbn=978-0-14-044169-7|edition=E.R.A. Sewter|series=[[Penguin classics]]|location=London|author-link=Michael Psellus|url-access=registration}}
* {{Cite book|last1=Skylitzes|first1=John|url=https://archive.org/details/scylitzae1973/mode/2up|title=Synopsis historiarum|publisher=[[De Gruyter]]|year=1973|isbn=978-3-11-002285-8|edition=Hans Thurn|series=[[Corpus Fontium Historiae Byzantinae]] '''V'''|location=Berlin-New York|author-link=John Skylitzes|orig-year=1060}}
**{{cite book|last1=Skylitzes|first1=John|url=https://archive.org/details/skylitzes-2010|title=A Synopsis of Byzantine History, 811–1057|publisher=[[Cambridge University Press]]|year=2010|isbn=978-0-521-76705-7|translator-last=John Wortley|author-link=John Skylitzes|orig-year=1060}}
{{refend}}

====Secondary sources====
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book |last=Ash |first=John |title=A Byzantine Journey |publisher=I. B. Tauris |year=1995 |isbn=978-1-86064-015-5 |location=London}}
* {{Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium|last1=Brand|first1=C. M.|last2=Cutler|first2=A.|title=Constantine VIII|url=https://archive.org/details/odb_20210521/page/503/mode/1up|pages=503–504}}
* {{cite book |last=Charanis |first=Peter |authorlink=Peter Charanis |title=The Armenians in the Byzantine Empire |year=1963 |location=Lisbon |publisher=[[Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation|Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian]] Armenian Library |url=http://www.attalus.org/armenian/chartoc.html |oclc=17186882}}
* {{cite book |last=Garland |first=Lynda |author-link=Lynda Garland |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6JY2fpMTkKwC |title=Byzantine Empresses: Women and Power in Byzantium, AD 527–1204 |publisher=Routledge |year=1999 |isbn=978-0-415-14688-3 |location=London and New York}}
* {{Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium|ref={{harvid|ODB}}}}
* {{cite book |last=Norwich |first=John Julius |author-link=John Julius Norwich |title=Byzantium: the Apogee |publisher=Penguin |year=1991 |isbn=978-0-670-80252-4 |location=London}}
* {{cite book |last=Ostrogorsky |first=George |author-link=George Ostrogorsky |url=https://archive.org/details/historyofbyzanti00ostr |title=History of The Byzantine State |publisher=Rutgers University Press |year=1957 |location=New Brunswick |oclc=422217218}}
* {{cite book |last=Spatharakis |first=Ioannis |date=1976 |title=The Portrait in Byzantine Illuminated Manuscripts |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AQ4VAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA91 |publisher=Brill |isbn=978-9004047839}}
* {{cite book |last=Patlagean |first=Évelyne |author-link=Évelyne Patlagean |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FVloAAAAMAAJ |title=Un Moyen Âge Grec: Byzance, IXe–XVe siècle |publisher=Albin Michel |year=2007 |isbn=978-2-226-17110-8 |location=Paris, France |language=fr}}
* {{A History of the Byzantine State and Society}}
{{refend}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Konstantinos VIII}}
* [https://www.wildwinds.com/coins/byz/constantine_VIII/t.html Constantine VIII coinage]
* [https://www.degruyter.com/document/database/PMBZ/entry/PMBZ25889/html Constantine VIII profile] in the ''[[Prosopography of the Byzantine World]]''.

{{S-start}}
{{s-hou|[[Macedonian dynasty]]||960|11 November|1028}}
{{s-reg|}}
{{s-bef
| before = [[Romanos II]]
}}
{{s-ttl
| title = [[List of Byzantine emperors|Byzantine emperor]]
| years = 962–1028<br>with [[Romanos II]] (962–963)<br>with [[Nikephoros II Phokas]] (963–969)<br>with [[John I Tzimiskes]] (969–976)<br>with [[Basil II]] (962–1025)
}}
{{s-aft
| after = [[Romanos III]]
}}
{{S-end}}
{{Roman emperors}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Constantine 08}}
[[Category:1000s in the Byzantine Empire]]
[[Category:1010s in the Byzantine Empire]]
[[Category:1020s in the Byzantine Empire]]
[[Category:1028 deaths]]
[[Category:10th-century Byzantine emperors]]
[[Category:11th-century Byzantine emperors]]
[[Category:960 births]]
[[Category:960s in the Byzantine Empire]]
[[Category:970s in the Byzantine Empire]]
[[Category:980s in the Byzantine Empire]]
[[Category:990s in the Byzantine Empire]]
[[Category:Basil II]]
[[Category:Macedonian dynasty]]
[[Category:Medieval child monarchs]]
[[Category:Porphyrogennetoi]]
[[Category:Sons of Byzantine emperors]]