WI: Basil II marries one of his nieces

It is no mistery that Basil II is often considered one of the very best Byzantine emperors. However, his greatest failure was perhaps not arranging his succession, which eventually proved itself a disaster and tarnished his legacy with the constant political instability of Zoe's later reign. In addition to personal asceticism, it is said that Basil II never married in order not to empower any of the Byzantine aristocratic families, which could pose a threat to him and his dynasty in the future.

However, what if Basil II had married one of his nieces by Constantine VIII in their nubile years? Theodora apparently enjoyed imperial favor, but Zoe was regarded as the more beautiful one and was older, so it could be any of the two. Would he be able to pull this off legitimately, in the religious sense? What would be the implications of such a marriage? If he has a son (let's call him Romanos), what role could Zoe play in later life, considering she lived until 1050 (and her sister even longer)?

Scenarios like these always discuss the ramifications of Basil II having a capable heir, but that's overdone. I'm more interested in the consequences of Basil II marrying Zoe/Theodora and their future status, and what that could mean for the wider status of women and the hereditariness of the Macedonian dynasty. Could we see a tradition of imperial quasi-incest arising, following Basil's precedent? Would this further legitimize or jeopardize Macedonian hereditary rule? How does Romanos III's reign look like with either Zoe or Theodora as potentially influent, but not decisionmaking, empresses mother?
 
It is no mistery that Basil II is often considered one of the very best Byzantine emperors. However, his greatest failure was perhaps not arranging his succession, which eventually proved itself a disaster and tarnished his legacy with the constant political instability of Zoe's later reign. In addition to personal asceticism, it is said that Basil II never married in order not to empower any of the Byzantine aristocratic families, which could pose a threat to him and his dynasty in the future.

However, what if Basil II had married one of his nieces by Constantine VIII in their nubile years? Theodora apparently enjoyed imperial favor, but Zoe was regarded as the more beautiful one and was older, so it could be any of the two. Would he be able to pull this off legitimately, in the religious sense? What would be the implications of such a marriage? If he has a son (let's call him Romanos), what role could Zoe play in later life, considering she lived until 1050 (and her sister even longer)?

Scenarios like these always discuss the ramifications of Basil II having a capable heir, but that's overdone. I'm more interested in the consequences of Basil II marrying Zoe/Theodora and their future status, and what that could mean for the wider status of women and the hereditariness of the Macedonian dynasty. Could we see a tradition of imperial quasi-incest arising, following Basil's precedent? Would this further legitimize or jeopardize Macedonian hereditary rule? How does Romanos III's reign look like with either Zoe or Theodora as potentially influent, but not decisionmaking, empresses mother?

The Orthodox church frowns on marriages between first cousins (or even outright forbids them, can never remember which), so I can't see them allowing an avunculate marriage to take place. Then again, this is also the Byzantine Emperor and not some provincial charlie that's doing it. Although, Leviticus 18 doesn't actually forbid a man from marrying his niece, only from marrying an aunt, while a woman is allowed to marry her uncle but not her nephew. So there might be a chance that the emperor can find a theologian to do it.

Was there a precedent for uncle-niece marriages in Byzantium (I know the Habsburgs and Bourbons did a rip-roaring trade in it later), but know very little about such marriages among the Byzantines
 
The Orthodox church frowns on marriages between first cousins (or even outright forbids them, can never remember which), so I can't see them allowing an avunculate marriage to take place. Then again, this is also the Byzantine Emperor and not some provincial charlie that's doing it. Although, Leviticus 18 doesn't actually forbid a man from marrying his niece, only from marrying an aunt, while a woman is allowed to marry her uncle but not her nephew. So there might be a chance that the emperor can find a theologian to do it.

Was there a precedent for uncle-niece marriages in Byzantium (I know the Habsburgs and Bourbons did a rip-roaring trade in it later), but know very little about such marriages among the Byzantines
Heraclius married his niece,and it sparked a major controversy.Most of their children had deformities and along with the defeats to Muslims,they were seen as divine punishment to the marriage.
 
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Herclius married his niece,and it sparked a major controversy.Most of their children had deformities and along with the defeats to Muslims,they were seen as divine punishment to the marriage.

So wouldn't Basil doing the same provoke a similar response? Of course, if he carries on defeating the enemy and the kids are born without defects it might fly. I'd worry though that it might set a very dangerous precedent of sort of Ptolemy/Julio-Claudian style inbreeding.
 
So wouldn't Basil doing the same provoke a similar response? Of course, if he carries on defeating the enemy and the kids are born without defects it might fly. I'd worry though that it might set a very dangerous precedent of sort of Ptolemy/Julio-Claudian style inbreeding.
Very likely.
 
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