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Theodora

(Encyclopedia)Theodora thēədôrˈə [key], d. 548, Byzantine empress. Information about her early career comes from the often-questionable source, the Secret History of Procopius. It appears that she was the daug...

Blues and Greens

(Encyclopedia)Blues and Greens, political factions in the Byzantine Empire in the 6th cent. They took their names from two of the four colors worn by the circus charioteers. Their clashes were intensified by religi...

Silverius, Saint

(Encyclopedia)Silverius, Saint sĭlvērˈēəs [key], d. 537, pope (536–37), an Italian; successor of St. Agapetus I. The son of Pope Hormisdas, who had been married before taking orders, St. Silverius was electe...

Vigilius

(Encyclopedia)Vigilius vĭjĭlˈēəs [key], pope (537–55), a Roman; successor of St. Silverius. Empress Theodora exiled Silverius and made Vigilius pope in the expectation that he would compromise with the Monop...

Zoë

(Encyclopedia)Zoë zōˈē [key], c.978–1050, Byzantine empress (1028–50), daughter and successor of Constantine VIII. Zoë was first married when she was 50 years old at the request of her father to insure sta...

Justinian I

(Encyclopedia)Justinian I jŭstĭnˈēən [key], 483–565, Byzantine emperor (527–65), nephew and successor of Justin I. He was responsible for much imperial policy during his uncle's reign. Soon after becoming ...

Marozia

(Encyclopedia)Marozia mərōˈzhēə, Ital. märôˈtsyä [key], c.892–c.937, Italian noblewoman. Daughter of the Roman consul Theophylact and his wife Theodora, Marozia was strongly influenced by her mother who ...

Isaac I

(Encyclopedia)Isaac I (Isaac Comnenus) īˈzək kŏmnēˈnəs [key], c.1005–1061, Byzantine emperor (1057–59), first of the Comnenus dynasty. Proclaimed emperor by the army, he deposed Michael VI, who had succe...

Orkhan

(Encyclopedia)Orkhan ôr-khänˈ [key], 1288?–1362?, Ottoman sultan (1326–1362?), son and successor of Osman I as leader of the Ottoman Turks. He defeated Byzantine Emperor Andronicus III and conquered large pa...

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