Maria 2

Prosopography of the Byzantine Empire
SexF
FloruitL VIII/E IX
Dates788 (taq) / 824 (tpq)
PmbZ No.4727
ReligionChristian
EthnicityArmenian
LocationsEuphrosyne (Monastery of, Constantinople) (burialplace);
Amnia (Paphlagonia) (residence);
Constantinople (residence);
Amnia (Paphlagonia);
Constantinople;
Amnia (Paphlagonia) (birthplace)
OccupationNun
TitlesAugusta (office)
Textual SourcesConstantine Porphyrogenitus, De Ceremoniis Aulae Byzantinae Libri II, ed. J. J. Reiske, CSHB (Bonn, 1829); also ed. (in part) A. Vogt (Paris, 1935, repr. 1967) (history);
Pseudo-Symeon, Chronographia, ed. I. Bekker (Bonn, 1838), pp. 603-760 (history);
Theodorus Studita, Catechesis Parva, ed. E. Auvray (Paris, 1891) (homiletics);
Theodorus Studita, Epistulae, ed. G. Fatouros, CFHB 31.1-2 (Berlin/New York, 1992) (letters);
Theodorus Studita, Laudatio Platonis (BHG 1553), PG 99. 804-850 (hagiography);
Theophanes Confessor, Chronographia, ed. C. de Boor, 2 vols. (Leipzig, 1883-85, repr. Hildesheim/NewYork, 1980); tr. and comm. C. Mango and R. Scott, The Chronicle of Theophanes Confessor, Oxford 1997 (chronicle);
Theophanes Continuatus, ed. I. Bekker (Bonn, 1838) (history);
Vita A Theodori Studitae, Auctore Theodoro Daphnopate? (BHG 1755), PG 99. 113-232 (hagiography);
Vita B Theodori Studitae, Auctore Michaele Monacho Studita (BHG 1754), PG. 99. 233-328 (hagiography);
Vita C Theodori Studitae, Auctore Incerto (BHG 1755d), ed. B. Latyshev, "Vita S. Theodori Studitae in codice Mosquensi musei Rumianzoviani no 520", VV 21 (1914), pp. 258-304 (hagiography);
Vita Sancti Philareti, by Nicetas of Amnia (BHG 1511z), ed. M.-H. Fourmy and M. Leroy, "La Vie de S. Philarhte", Byz 9 (1934), pp. 113-167 (hagiography);
Zonaras = Ioannis Zonarae Epitome Historiarum, libri XIII-XVIII, ed. Th. Büttner-Wobst, (Bonn, 1897) (history)

Maria 2 was a native of Amnia and of Armenian descent: Theoph. AM 6281 (κόρην ἐκ τῶν Ἀρμενιακῶν ὀνόματι Μαρίαν ἀπὸ Ἀμνίας). Described as from either the Armeniakon theme or Paphlagonia: Zon. XV 10. 12. Granddaughter of St Philaretos (Philaretos 1), daughter of Hypatia 1, elder sister of Myranthia 1, Euanthia 2 and Petronas 2: Nicetas, Vita Philareti, p. 141, line 19, p. 143, line 17. She married the emperor Constantine VI (Konstantinos 8) in 788: Theoph. AM 6281 (καὶ ἔζευξεν αὐτὴν Κωνσταντίνῳ τῷ βασιλεῖ); Nicetas, Vita Philareti, p. 143, cf. Zon. XV 10. 12 (the daughter (sic) of Philaretos 1, she was married to the emperor Konstantinos 8). The marriage took place in November 788 (indiction 12): Theoph. AM 6281. See Treadgold, Revival, p. 432, n. 375 on her Armenian origins. She bore Konstantinos 8 two daughters, Euphrosyne 1 and one other (Eirene 13, see below): Ps.-Symeon 620, Theoph. Cont. II 24 (p. 79). She was forced to become a nun by her husband and in January 795 (indiction 3) she was tonsured: Theoph. AM 6287 (ἐξεβιάσατο αὐτὴν τοῦ γενέσθαι μονάστριαν), Theoph. AM 6288 (ἐπιτρέψαντος τῷ τε κατηχητῇ τοῦ κουρεῦσαι τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ Μαρίαν), Zon. XV 12. 19-21. She was divorced and forced to become a nun: Theod. Stud., Ep. 443, Theod. Stud., Laudatio Platonis 5, 26 (PG 99. 829A-B), Vita A Theod. Stud. 136D (τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ὁμόζυγον ἐκβαλὼν, καὶ ἄκουσαν σχῆμα περιβαλὼν τὸ μοναδικὸν), Vita B Theod. Stud. 252B-C (ἀθετήσας τὴν πρότερον αὐτῷ κατὰ νόμους γεγαμημένην, καὶ ταύτην ἀποκαρθῆναι βεβιασμένως ποιήσας), Vita C Theod. Stud. § 18(2), p. 267 (τὴν ἰδίαν ἐκβαλὼν). Addressee of three letters from Theodore the Stoudite (Theodoros 15), written between 815 and 824: Theod. Stud., Epp. 227, 309, 514 (addressed Μαρίᾳ βασιλίσσῃ). She is mentioned in two other letters of Theodoros 15, Epp. 443, 555. The letters allude both to her divorce by Constantine VI (Konstantinos 8) and to her protest at the marriage of her daughter Euphrosyne 1 to the emperor Michael II (Michael 10); cf. also Theod. Stud., Catech. Parva 74 (her daughter was criminally forced to marry Michael 10).

Maria 2, the wife of Constantine VI (Konstantinos 8), was buried in the monastery known as the Monastery of Euphrosyne, in the same sarcophagus as her husband and his two daughters, Euphrosyne 1 and Eirene 13, as well as Anna 2 (daughter of the emperor Theophilos 5): Const. Porph., De Cer. II 42 (Reiske, 647). She was probably therefore the mother of Euphrosyne 1 and Eirene 13.

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