WI: Constantine VIII's daughters are allowed to marry early?

My first byzantine WI:D! Anyway, I was playing CKII recently and it got me thinking about the Macedonian House. Arguably they were one of, if not the Greatest dynasty Byzantium ever had. However, they were also one of the only dynasties to go extinct rather then be overthrown. This was because Basil II didn't marry or produce children and Constantine VIII only had daughters, who weren't allowed to marry. Now I can understand why they would be reluctant to associate a noble male with the Imperial House, as at least 3 generals had usurped the throne during their dynastic reign, not to mention at least dozen attempts by generals to claim the throne. However once it became obvious that neither co-Emperor could produce a son, they should have married one of Constantine VIII's daughters off to produce the next generation of their house.

So what if Empress Zoe, or one of her sisters, had be allowed to marry when they could still produce children? Was there anyone whom either Basil II or Constantine VIII (or both) could trust to marry an Imperial Princess and not try to claim the throne? Perhaps a trusted army subordinate or a member of the Court aristocracy? Or would a "Barbarian" Prince be better, like someone from Hungary or vassal Armenia? Basically who would these Princesses be married to safely?
 
One problem might be that he fathered no known children. If he was sterile, then he is of no use in continuing the Macedonian line.

True. And he would be to young. By the time he came to power Constantine's daughters would be to old to reasonably produce children. Getting back to realistic options, would a barbarian Prince work? He would be Royal, could bring a foreign alliance and wouldn't have a powerbase in the Empire from which to threaten the imperial House.
 
The Rus is probably your best bet.

Which raises a question. Who?

Prince Vladimir is married to their aunt.


And there was an attempt to marry Zoe to Otto III. I think you need to find someone worthy of an imperial (possibly even purpleborn - technically Constantine would count as a reigning emperor) princess, which is not easy - from a diplomatic POV, that would be granting someone a huge honor.

Marrying them off to just anyone is going to happen shortly after ham is served on Hanukkah as far as Basil or Constantine are concerned.


Also, given the idea that one is of one's father's family, it would only count as a continuation of their house genetically for Constantine to have grandsons.

Presumably just like Theodore II took the name of Laskaris instead of Vatazes someone would want to associate with the prestigious Macedonians, but at that point you could adopt someone.
 
Which raises a question. Who?

Prince Vladimir is married to their aunt.


And there was an attempt to marry Zoe to Otto III. I think you need to find someone worthy of an imperial (possibly even purpleborn - technically Constantine would count as a reigning emperor) princess, which is not easy - from a diplomatic POV, that would be granting someone a huge honor.

Marrying them off to just anyone is going to happen shortly after ham is served on Hanukkah as far as Basil or Constantine are concerned.


Also, given the idea that one is of one's father's family, it would only count as a continuation of their house genetically for Constantine to have grandsons.

Presumably just like Theodore II took the name of Laskaris instead of Vatazes someone would want to associate with the prestigious Macedonians, but at that point you could adopt someone.

True, maybe one of Vladimir's sons? I read that he and Anna had as many as three children, so if one was a son he would be a good pick. Maternally related to the Macedonian House, brings a link with Modern Russia and wouldn't have a powerbase from which to threaten the throne within the Empire.

And I know about the Otto III/Zoe match but I wonder whether or not a son of this match would be accepted as the Emperor of the East. Maybe if he is sent to Constantinople to be raised in the Imperial court there. I think having two brothers on the thrones of the Holy Roman and Byzantine Empires could be realistic, but in no way a full union.

But your right it wouldn't be a continuation name-wise, but I think it would probably end up like Theodore II. After all the Macedonian House had ruled for almost two centuries. Hell I can see Basil and Constantine making that a term of the marriage contract.
 
True, maybe one of Vladimir's sons? I read that he and Anna had as many as three children, so if one was a son he would be a good pick. Maternally related to the Macedonian House, brings a link with Modern Russia and wouldn't have a powerbase from which to threaten the throne within the Empire.

So you're going to have a marriage of first cousins, which is WELL within the limits of excessively close . . . why?

And I know about the Otto III/Zoe match but I wonder whether or not a son of this match would be accepted as the Emperor of the East. Maybe if he is sent to Constantinople to be raised in the Imperial court there. I think having two brothers on the thrones of the Holy Roman and Byzantine Empires could be realistic, but in no way a full union.

And even that would be easier said than done.

But your right it wouldn't be a continuation name-wise, but I think it would probably end up like Theodore II. After all the Macedonian House had ruled for almost two centuries. Hell I can see Basil and Constantine making that a term of the marriage contract.

161 years as of Constantine VIII's death.

I think the main problem is finding a groom, not what name is used.
 
I suspect the reason Constantine's daughters were not allowed to marry was because of Basil's suspicion of the nobility: let's remember that Basil's formative years were spent under the domination of two noble usurpers, and that Basil's great-grandfather Romanos I was also a noble usurper. What we know of Basil's personality is that he was an extremely cautious administrator, which is why the Bulgarian wars took so long, and opportunities for major advancement in Syria tended to be ignored in favour of peace treaties.

The only way I can see Basil being willing to marry off his nieces is if he's named guardian of a noble orphan or two, as happened in the 1010s with Isaac and John Komnenos. So, get some noble orphans around in the 980s, and you might potentially have a match.

The best option is just to have one of Constantine's daughters be born a boy, in my view.

And I've said this before, and I'll say it again: a longer lasting Macedonian dynasty is by no means likely to avoid relative Byzantine decline after 1050, what with butterflies and all.
 
Wasn't this a time of would-be usurping generals? Maybe one of them marries one of the daughters and decides to stay loyal as a result?
 
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