Did 'born in the purple' princes really have precedence over older siblings in ERE succession?

It's often said that born in the purple princes actually have precedence in the line of succession,but from what I have read,it's the reverse.If an emperor has an older son who was born before his reign,this particular son generally gets appointed as successor instead.So is this born-in the purple business actually a misconception?
 
It's often said that born in the purple princes actually have precedence in the line of succession,but from what I have read,it's the reverse.If an emperor has an older son who was born before his reign,this particular son generally gets appointed as successor instead.So is this born-in the purple business actually a misconception?
Well, an older son is probably better able to win out in the constant intrigue of Byzantine court politics surrounding the succession.
 
It's often said that born in the purple princes actually have precedence in the line of succession,but from what I have read,it's the reverse.If an emperor has an older son who was born before his reign,this particular son generally gets appointed as successor instead.So is this born-in the purple business actually a misconception?
Being "Born in the Purple" technically gave that child precedence over any non purple child, but really only gave them added prestige and legitimacy in the eyes of the people.

Succession in the ERE was really messy and while Emperors liked to have the throne go to their designated heir or Purple Born son it didn't really work out that way as much as they would have liked. It usually devolved into who had the biggest army or the support of very powerful people needed to become Emperor.
 
It was more of a prestige thing than anything else. Remember that most Emperor's had their (usually eldest) son crowned as co-Emperor at a young age, so technically their children would also be purple-born. The only real possibility I can think of would be in the case of a new dynasty: an Emperor would likely favor the son born after his accession over a son born before it. But I can't think of specific examples.
 
It was more of a prestige thing than anything else. Remember that most Emperor's had their (usually eldest) son crowned as co-Emperor at a young age, so technically their children would also be purple-born. The only real possibility I can think of would be in the case of a new dynasty: an Emperor would likely favor the son born after his accession over a son born before it. But I can't think of specific examples.
So basically the son of a junior co-emperor's also considered born-in the purple if he's born after his father was made co-emperor?

As to the second point, my understanding was that new dynasties generally have their non-born in the purple son crowned emperor over younger ones because the dynasty's rule wasn't secure and that the emperor would need an older,capable heir in fear of usurpations should he die while his children were young.The only examples I could think otherwise was Romanos IV.In his case,there was already another co-emperor in the form of Michael IV and that his older son was not the child of Michael's mother--so I think that has something to do with the decision of not making his older son co-emperor.Plus,he already pissed off the Doukas by making his own sons co-emperors.
 
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So is this born-in the purple business actually a misconception?

Yes. There is, as far as I know, not one instance in Byzantine history in which a younger son who was "born in the purple" was chosen, on that basis, to succeed an older brother who was not.

That's not to say younger sons never succeeded over older ones. Manuel Komnenos, who was born during his father's reign, was chosen to succeed him over his older brother Isaac, who was born before his father's accession to sole rule, although technically their father John II was crowned as co-emperor with Alexios long before he actually succeeded. There's no indication, however, that his birth during his father's sole reign was the reason for Manuel's succession; John seems to have simply preferred him to Isaac as a successor. The closest incident I know of to a claim of succession on the basis of "purple" birth is actually among daughters and arguably pre-Byzantine - it's in the 5th century, when Flavius Marcianus rebelled against Zeno based in part on the claim that his wife, Leontia, although the younger sister of Zeno's wife Ariadne (both daughters of Emperor Leo I), was nevertheless of superior status because she was born while Leo was emperor. (Marcianus failed.)

Being purple-born was certainly prestigious, and could confer a sense of legitimacy. The first imperial son I know of whose "purple birth" was a big deal was Constantine VII, but that's because he was conceived by the emperor's mistress who was only subsequently (and un-canonically) wed to the emperor - being born in the Purple Room was intended to be a clear statement that "this is indeed the legitimate son of an emperor no matter what the Church says." In the middle Byzantine period one tends to come across purple-ness as being more important for daughters of the emperor, who were apparently considered more prestigious and desirable as diplomatic brides if they were purple-born. Otto the Great specifically sought out a purple-born wife for his son for that reason, although he failed to get one, receiving only a niece of John Tzimiskes instead. As far as I know the first "barbarian" ruler to obtain one was Vladimir of Kiev, and his marriage to Anna Porphyrogenita was a big deal. A purple-born bride was promised for Otto III (none other than Zoe, daughter of Constantine VIII), but his early death scuppered that plan.

So while being "purple-born" was a real thing and really was a source of prestige which might (as in the case of Constantine VII) shore up a questionable claim, there was no rule, formal or informal, that purple-born sons should take precedence over non-purple-born older sons. Even if there had been such a rule, its operation would have been rare, as situations in which a reigning emperor was survived by multiple sons, of which at least one was born before his accession and one after it, did not actually crop up all that often.
 
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