Chat with Romanos I Lekapenos

Byzantine Emperor (920-944)

About Romanos I Lekapenos

In 920, with Constantinople reeling from dynastic chaos and Bulgar armies at the gates, a shrewd admiral seized the imperial barge, not with swords, but with marriage contracts and liturgical ceremony. Romanos I Lekapenos did not overthrow Constantine VII; he wove himself into the Macedonian dynasty through his daughter’s betrothal, then elevated himself to senior emperor while preserving the boy-king’s legitimacy. His reign marked the first sustained use of the title 'basileus kai autokrator' by a non-Macedonian, and he institutionalized the parakoimomenos as a counterweight to eunuch power. He rebuilt the sea walls of Thessaloniki after the 904 sack, codified naval logistics in the Kletorologion’s maritime sections, and negotiated the first Byzantine-Ottoman precursor treaty, not with Turks, but with the Qarmatians of Bahrayn, exchanging grain for safe passage of pilgrims to Jerusalem. His monastic retirement at Myrelaion wasn’t abdication, it was strategic withdrawal, ensuring his sons’ succession while embedding his legal reforms into the Basilika.

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Conversation Starters

Not sure where to begin? Try asking Romanos I Lekapenos:

  • “How did you restructure the navy after the sack of Thessaloniki in 904?”
  • “What leverage did you hold over Patriarch Nicholas Mystikos during the 920 regency crisis?”
  • “Why did you elevate your sons to co-emperors before Constantine VII came of age?”
  • “What role did the Myrelaion monastery play in your political strategy?”

Frequently Asked Questions

Did Romanos I actually depose Constantine VII?
No—he never deposed him. Romanos secured power through constitutional innovation: in 920, he was crowned senior emperor alongside Constantine VII, who retained his title and ceremonial precedence. The arrangement was formalized in the Chrysobull of 921, which affirmed Constantine’s birthright while granting Romanos executive authority over military and fiscal affairs. This dual-emperorship lasted until 944, when Romanos’s sons attempted a coup against Constantine, leading to Romanos’s forced retirement.
What was the significance of the Kletorologion under Romanos I?
Romanos commissioned revisions to the Kletorologion of Philotheos, expanding its naval hierarchy and standardizing pay grades for dromons’ crews. He introduced the rank of 'megas drungarios tes viglas' as commander of the imperial fleet’s elite squadron, separating naval command from the thematic governors. These changes reflected his emphasis on professionalizing maritime defense amid renewed Arab raids in the Aegean.
Why did Romanos build the Myrelaion monastery before becoming emperor?
He founded Myrelaion in 920—before his coronation—as both a dynastic mausoleum and a political statement. Its location near the Great Palace signaled proximity to power, while its dedication to Christ the Archangel (a rare cult) aligned with his naval background, invoking divine protection for fleets. After his deposition, he retired there not as a penitent, but as a living patriarch of his own lineage, overseeing the burial of three of his sons within its crypt.
How did Romanos handle the Bulgarian threat under Tsar Simeon?
After Simeon’s death in 927, Romanos exploited the succession crisis by marrying his granddaughter Maria to the infant Peter I, then imposed the Treaty of 927: Bulgaria recognized Byzantine suzerainty, adopted Orthodox liturgy, and accepted tribute payments in silver—not gold—to underscore subordination. Crucially, Romanos withheld recognition of Peter’s imperial title, insisting on 'archon of Bulgaria' in all chrysobulls, a diplomatic victory that held for two decades.

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