alternatehistory.com

Following the disastrous battle of Pliska new Emperor Staurakios was unable to exercise actual authority due to the wound that paralysed him. As his condition worsened, the court was split between the factions of his wife Theophano and his sister Prokopia, who hoped that her husband Michael Rangabes would be chosen as the emperor's heir. As it became clear that Staurakios intended to designate Theophano as his successor (or else to abolish the empire and declare a republic), the supporters of Michael forced the emperor to abdicate on October 2 811. Staurakios retired to a monastery becoming a monk and died from the effects of his wound on January 11, 812. Michael Rangabe became emperor, as Michael I.
WI Staurakios's blackmail to to the court was succesfull (plus he had to be faster than his sister eliminating Michael Rangabes threat) and his wife Theophano was proclaimed Empress regnant in 811? Interestingly Theophano was the niece of Irene the previous Empress regnant who was deposed in 802 by Staurakios's father Niceforus I... Any thoughts on that? Would Thophano as Empress benefited the Empire or a woman in the Imperial Throne would have weakened it?
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