Emperor John Tzimisces I BYZANTIUM

   Another name for John was BYZANTIUM Emperor.

   General Notes:

Emperor of BYZANTIUM.

BOOKS
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 1981, Macropaedia, Vol XIII, p64, Nicephorus II Phocas: "...The people of Constantinople, aroused by Basil the chamberlain, revolted against Bringas; and the imperial army, through the intermediation of John Tzimisces, Nicephorus' faithful lieutenant, `obliged' the soldier to accept the crown at Caesarea on July 3, 963, and to march against Constantinople. On August 16, 963, Nicephorus was crowned in the Hagia Sophia by the patriarch Polyeuctus, and on September 20 he celebrated his marriage to Theophano.
"Smitten with the young woman and influenced by his brother Leo Phocas, whose self-interested machinations stirred up the discontent of the people of Constantinople, Nicephorus gradually became taciturn and suspicious even of his best advisers, who, one after another, were removed from office. As emperor, Nicephorus continued his exploits against the Arabs until finally, abandoned by all, he retired to the fortified palace of Boukoleion, which he had builtfor his personal safety. During the night of 10 Dec 969, he was killed there by former friends, guided by Tzimisces and advised by Theophano...
"The contradictions in Nicephorus' life and character also marked his domestic politics...the remonstrances of his spiritual director, Athanasius, against his private life; and the apprehensions of Theophano that her children would be ousted through the machinations of Leo Phocas. These all created a climate of intrigue, which resulted in Nicephorus' assassination and brought John Tzimisces to the throne..."

The Story of Civilization, Will Durant, Vol IV, The Age of Faith, Bk IV, The Dark Ages, Ch XVIII, The Byzantine World, Sec III, p429: "...Perhaps Romanus II (958-963) waslike other children, and did not read his father's books. He married a Greek girl, Theophano; she was suspected of poisoning her father-in-law and hastening Romanus' death; and before her twenty-four-year-old husband was dead she seduced intoher arms the ascetic general Nicephorus II Phocas, who with her connivance seized the throne...Bored with this monastic existence, Theophano became the mistress of the General John Tzimisces. With her connivance he killed Nicephorus (969) and seized the throne; remorseful, he repudiated and exiled her, and went off to atone for his crimes by transient victories against the Moslems and the Slavs."

Wall Chart of World History, Edward Hull, 1988, Studio Editions, Greek Eastern Empire 969: "John I, Emperor 969-976..."

   Marriage Information:

John married Empress Theophano BYZANTIUM, daughter of Anastaso BYZANTINE EMPIRE, in 969. (Empress Theophano BYZANTIUM was born about 936-956 in Constantinople, Byzantium, Turkey and died in 991 in , , Byzantium.)