The End of Iconoclasm Phase One and Emperor Irene; Charlemagne—A Western Empire Reborn; Immediate Successors of Irene and Iconoclasm Revived

Irene

• Regent

• Iconophile

• Constantine’s marriage —> adultery controversy, may have also been connected to icon agenda

• His death led to her full control with the male title of Basileus

• Pope and foreign conflict

• Charlemagne…legitimacy of Irene

Nikephoros

• Iconophile emperor after Irene

• Moderate (for the groups, not political parties)

• Tax collection — allelengyon

• More Byzantine power and economic prosperity in the Balkans, themes there

• Arab invasion

• Complicated succession with son and relatives

Michael 1

• First with a family name

• Upholding orthodoxy/iconophile

• Leo took over

2nd Iconoclasm

• Leo negotiating with Krum’s people

• Commission to reinstate iconoclasm

• Michael 2 planned and succeeded in murdering Leo

Theophanes on Nicephorius’ Finances

• Administrative hierarchy for taxes

• Hostile about the reforms

• “Evil” what people were required to do financially

• Really just wanted to make things equal and avoid evasion

7th Ecumenical Council

• Called by Irene

• Allowed to worship icons, they are representing divine

• Condemning Iconoclasm

Leo 4’s Iconoclasm

• “False idols”

• Worship was causing other problems in Byzantium

Byzantine View of Charlemagne’s Coronation

• Thinking it represented franks power

• Describing how he wanted to marry Irene

Nicephorus

• Slavs did not participate in Greek

• Bulgars led by Krum killed Nicephorus in battle

• Had wanted to create a city there

• Nicephorus had defeated slavs in Greece

Gelasius (Christianity Packet)

• Emperor’s power

• Church connection

Leo 4 / Irene: Leo’s Time as Emperor

• Less passion in Iconoclasm

• Leo wasn’t as into it as father

• Died → Constantine 6 with power and mother as regent

Leo 4 / Irene: Irene as Regent

• 1st to sign documents (new)

• Co-emperors with Irene as senior?

• Irene on her own side of coins

• Dramatic decrease of iconoclasm

• Empress’ iconophilism was apparent

Leo 4 / Irene: Patriarchy

• Paul resigned from Constantinople

• New one would need a lot of training, as usual

• Terasius: Academic, got power

• Opposed iconoclasm

Leo 4 / Irene: 7th Ecumenical Council (Last? Orthodoxy)

• Goal: end iconoclasm

• Iconoclast soldiers disrupted

• Paused council, bishops left

• Irene went on to “clean house” of iconoclasts…sent troops to Asia Minor

• Iconophile troops from Greece were brought in

• Real council met in Nicea

• Condemned iconoclasm

• Images would help people feel religion and were honorable

  • Proskemisis: honorable reputation

  • Not true worship, praying to representation

• End of Iconoclasm phase 1…East

• 2D images were celebrated

Constantine 6 and Irene

• Exiling Irene

• She was supported by Monasteries

• Good at field commanding

• Bad ad government administration → corruption

• Allowing Irene to come back with him in charge → kind, forgiving

• Ruled together for 5 years

  • Irene targeting Leo 4’s brothers…got Constantine to exile to Greece

  • Constantine had married a well-liked (boring) woman

  • Wanted a more interesting woman instead…divorce was a no

  • Irene was VERY in favor

  • Disaster, weakened Constantine’s popularity

Irene’s Power

• Eunic support, military and Terasius

• Overthrew and blinded son → very good at blinding

• Constantine 6 immediately died

• Irene as single ruler, using male emperor term

• Showing female evolution

• No legitimacy questions in East

• West questioned her and used this as an opening

Amorian Dynasty

• Michael 2 did not persecute on either side

• Trying to keep the peace, but got criticism for this

• Slav Thomas’ revolt → Theme system

• Heresy in Asia Minor

• Arab control on shores/islands

Theophilos

• Son of Michael 2, disastrous reign

• Some administrative changes, wall repairs

• Last of Iconoclasm

• Admiring Arabs, education’s increase

• Cared about serving justice

• Bride show like Cinderella, wife Theodora

Restoration of Icons

• Michael 3 with Theodora and men as regents

• Eunic Theokistos got a lot of power

• Unsure about Michael 3’s character and actions

• Possibly military victories

End of Iconoclasm

Need for more religious art

Redecoration

Missionaries for Christianity → slavs and within

Still disagreements in the religion

Acclamation of Orthodoxy

• Theodora and iconophylism

• Bringing icons through church

• Pro-orthodox

Theodore’s Reform Rules

• Discipline for Monks

• No females, not even animals

• Importance of God

Affirmation of Papal Supremacy

• Eastern vs western churches

• Arguing for the Pope’s control over both churches

• Photius and Ignatius controversy

Resettlement of Patras

• Going back to southern Italy

• After Avars

Leo the Mathematician

• Said no to Arab caliph

• Letters

Byzantine Emperor and King of Franks

• Unity but also misunderstanding with west

• Michael 2 vs Charlemagne’s son

Irene: Legitimacy

• Not questioned at the time

• Eunics around her as loyal aides

  • Successful people who couldn’t be emperor and take her role

• Support of Monasteries/church

Irene: Inheriting and Strategies

• Issues in Asia Minor

• Bulgars in Balkans, threat → slavs and hard to defeat

• Southern Italy territory issues

• Lowered taxes but increased military spending

  • More commander support

• Conduit to people at Hagia Sophia, celebrating her at church

  • Giving people coins every day (a lot)

Charlemagne: Pepin

• Father

• Started Carolingian dynasty

Charlemagne: Territories and Relationships

• Older Roman areas and beyond

• Education, literacy for clergy

• Using church and monasteries

• Secular nobles and children had to learn to read

• Latin for educated ruling class

• More trade, importing merchants

• Rebuilding west, roads

• Trying to avoid feudalism

• 1st germanic capitol and palace, church → Constantinople model

• Irish scholars to teach him latin and greek (reading and speaking)

• Frankfurt meeting with nobles and bishops

Charlemagne: Religion

• Borderline iconoclast, some image restricting

• Church/authority = royal power

• Pope for unity (not power over bishops)

• Administrative structure

Charlemagne: Pope Leo 3

• Conflicts in Roman city nobility

• Mobs

• Attack and capture of Pope

• Charlemagne sent army to save him

• Stayed in Rome

  • Kneeling, praying on Christmas day (Eastern altar) when Pope entered

  • Put crown on his head, making him Roman emperor

  • Had they planned for this? But Pope had crowning power

  • Speculation about who had what power

  • Eventually Charlemagne crowned son

Charlemagne and Irene: As Roman Emperor

• Pope’s authority with “Donation of Constantine"? → Leo’s thoughts

• Pope said Irene was illegitimate due to being a woman

• Byzantine opposition

• Charlemagne refused title of emperor until Constantinople approval

• Proposing marriage to Irene

  • Advisors concerned about inheritance…for Charlemagne’s sons and divisions (no, liked unity)

  • Pope also didn’t like idea, wanted to keep influence

• Trying for Southern Italy deal with Irene

Charlemagne and Irene: Irene’s Issues

• Too much spending

• Bulgars issues

• Overthrown in coup by Nikephorus

  • Head of treasury

Nikephorus: Fixing Issues

• Arabic descent

• Raised taxes for all, church too

• Not popular

Nikephorus: Balkans Problems

• Bulgars

• Going towards greece

• More of an issue from Asia Minor

• Long-time issue…since 400s?

• Bulgar ruling class had been slavified → Bulgarians

• Nikephorus vs Krum (leader) surprise attack and Nikephorus’ death and decapitation → Krum

• Worst defeat since Adrianople?

Nikephorus: Succession

• Stauracius briefly, died

• Brother-in-law Michael 1

• Trying to secure his power

• Land proposal (Venice area) from Charlemagne

  • Asking for acknowledgement as emperor

• Agreed to proposal, only success

• Charlemagne acknowledged as emperor of Franks, using title in Western Europe

  • Basileus for Franks

  • “real” Basileus for Romans in Constantinople

• West would continue with emperors of Holy Roman Empire

• Michael didn’t do well politically overall

Leo 5 the Armenian: Coming to Power

• Overthrew Michael 1

• Iconoclast, needed money → monastery wealth

Leo 5 the Armenian: With Krum

• “Meeting” → planned asassination

• Krum found out, destroyed Adrianople and took captives

• Then died naturally

Leo 5 the Armenian: lconoclasm Revived

• Council to bring it back

• For political and economic reasons

• Restoring “favor of God” to imperial ruler

• Not as strong as 1st phase

• Only able to impost in East

• Monastery property seizing, but not all images being destroyed

Leo 5 the Armenian: Foreign Policy and Plots Against Him

• Stabilizing borders → Balkans

• Italy was still unstable

• Generals were annoyed, plotting to overthrow (creative)

  • Michael, Leo’s vengance with ape and furnace

  • “On Christmas Eve!?” —wife

• Michael’s allies murdered him → not how Leo wanted to die