• General Notes

  [charlemegne.FTW]
  
  Moriarty mss. at NEHGS pp. 88-89, cites Benrath, "Wer war die Ka iserin Theophano" (1939), shows Theophana prob. dau. of Leo Phok as, son of Sophia Phokas by her husb. Constantin Skleros, brothe r of Marie, 1st wife of the Basileus John Tsimices.[MARSHALL.FTW]
  
  SOURCE NOTES:
  Brook, Lindsay L, The Byzantine Ancestry of HRH Prince Charles, Prince of
  Wales, The Genealogist (APSG), vol 1 no 2 (1981), p3-51.  Nypl APA-82-1000 v1.
  
  Moriarty, George Andrews, Plantagenet Ancestry of King Edward III And Queen
  Philippa.  Salt Lake: Mormon Pioneer Genealogical Society, 1985.  LDS
  Film#0441438.  nypl#ARF-86-2555.
  
  Previte-Orton, C. W., The Shorter Cambridge Medieval History, Cambridge:
  University Press, 1952.  Chatham 940.1PRE.
  
  Schwennicke, Detlev, ed., Euroopaische Stammtafeln: Stammtafeln zur Geschichte
  der europaischen Staaten, New Series, Marburg: J.A. Stargardt, 1978-.
  
  Wagner, Anthony, Pedigree and Progress, Essays in the Genealogical
  Interpretation of History, London, Philmore, 1975.  Rutgers Alex CS4.W33.
  
  Watney, Vernon James, The Wallop Family and their Ancestry, Oxford:John
  Johnson, 1928.  LDS Film#1696491 items 6-9.
  
  Weis, Frederick Lewis, Ancestral Roots of Sixty Colonists, 6th Edition,
  Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co, 1988.
  RESEARCH NOTES:
  For many years the parentage of Empress Theopana, wife of the Emperor Otto II
  has been debated by German scholars.  She has always been considered to have
  been the daughter of the Basilius Romanus II, of the Macedonian House,
  descended from the Basileus Basil, and his wife Theophana, daughter of a
  Larconian Inn Keeper, and the repetition of the name would suggest this, but
  objections exist. [Ref: Moriarty p88]
  
  Maltman, in a thesis at the Univercity of Gothen argues in 1878 that she was
  not a daughter of the Basileus Romanus. [Ref: Moriarty p88]
  
  Historian Ranke considered her to have been a daughter of the Basileus, but
  this was not his period. [Ref: Moriarty p88]
  
  Prof Gjasbrecht, a great medievalist, considered that she was not the daughter
  of Romanius; in accord with him are Hertzberg (Gescht. der Byzantiner), von
  Ottenthal (Register Otto I) and Mystakidis (Byz Deutsche Baziehungen). [Ref:
  Moriarty p88]
  
  Traditional view held by Von Ranke, Finley (History of Greece), Dunmber
  (Jahrbuch Otto I), Hirsch (Byz.), Schumberger (Nicophor Phocas), Detmer (Biss
  on Otto II), Muntz (Les Astistes Byzantiner), Labarte (Hist. der Arts
  industrials au morgen age aud), K Uhling (Uber die Herkunft der Theophano).
  [Ref: Moriarty p88]
  
  Prince von Isenburg in Stamtafeln (1836/7) calls her the "pretended daughter
  of Romanus"; the 1953 edition rejects the Romanus view and accepts that put
  forth by the Swiss scholar Benrath in his monograph "Wer war die Kaiserin
  Theophano (1939)" that she belonged to the Patrician family of Sleros. [Ref:
  Moriarty p88]
  
  Prof. Winkhaus also accepts family of Skleros in his Ahnen zu Karl dem Grossen
  and Widierkind (1950), but in his additions and corrections he reverts to the
  Romanus view [Ref: Moriarty p88]
  
  Facts are as follows:  When Otto I had restored the Western EMpire he wished
  to allay his family with that of the Eastern Ceasars and sent Luitpraud Bishop
  of Oremina on an Embassy to Constantinople to ask for the hand of a Byzantine
  Princess for his son Otto.  The Byzantines bitterly resented the Western
  Empire and the Basilius Nikophonos Phocas refused the request.  However, after
  the murder of Phocas in Dec 964, the new Emperor John Tzimicer, who wished to
  protect the Byzantine possessions in Southern Italy, agreed to Otto's request
  but the question is whether, as was quite in keeping with Byzantine diplomacy,
  he played a trick on Otto and substituted another lady in place of the
  Princess.  Dr.  Moltman points out that nowhere in contemporary authorities is
  Theophana called a daughter of Romanus, but is styled the neice of John
  Taimices and in his list of the children of Romanius the contemporary
  Byzantine historian George Cadremus does not include a Theophano.  However, it
  was often the custom of Byzantine writers to ignore any marriages with the
  Western "barbarians."  However, his failure to name Theophana is evidence,
  although not conclusive, that Romanus had no such daughter.  It may be
  observed that Cadremus names Anna daughter of Romanis who married a barbarian
  Wladimir of Kiev.  The chronicle of Bishop Thirmar, who was a Saxon Bishop
  living shortly after the marriage gives important evidence.  As a Saxon Bishop
  he must have been acquainted with the ruling Saxon family.  He says that, when
  Theophana arrived in Italy to be married to the young Otto, that "there were
  some who sought to prevent the Emperor from going on with the proposed
  marriage and who advised him to send her back.  The Emperor, however, did not
  listen to them but married her to his son amid the laughter of all the Italian
  and German magnates." [Ref: Moriarty p88]
  
  While her identity will probably never be established, I incline towards the
  arguments put forward by Alexander A Vasiliev, "Hugh Capet of France and
  Byzantium", Dumbarton Oaks Papers 6:229-51 (951) as supported by Prince
  Toumanoff.  See Cyril Toumanoff, Manuel de genealogie et de chronologie pour
  l'histoire de la Cascasie chretienne (Rome, 1976) pp344-46 and table 72b.  In
  a letter to [Lindsay Brook] dated 27 June 1972 he writes :at the time of her
  marriage, she (Theophano) was indeed the reigning Emperor (John Tzimisces)'s
  niece (by marriage) and therefore was naturally referred to as such; which
  does not preclude her being an earlier Emperor (Romanus II)'s daughter.  The
  only serious argument, from affinity, is vitiated by the fact that Zoe did
  ultimately marry her secondcousin (once removed) Romanus III.  Vasilev has
  shown that Romanus II had another child, who may very well have been Theophano
  [Ref: Brook p38#15]
  
  more complete text of similar letter from Prince Tourmanoff to Anthony Wagner,
  dated Nov 5 1972, given in [Ref: Wagner p258]
  SOURCE NOTES:
  date: [Ref: ES I #3] 956/60 [Ref: Moriarty p87] about 956-960 [Ref: Weis AR
  #147] abt 956-58 [Ref: Brook p7], parents: [Ref: CMH p256] Constantine Skleros
  & Sophia Phokas [Ref: Moriarty p89] Romanus II & Theophana [Ref: Brook p6,
  Watney #355] dotted line to Romanus II Eastern Emperor & Theophano   [Ref:
  Wagner #43], father: [Ref: CMH p424] (Konstantin) [Ref: ES I #3] Romanus II
  [Ref: Watney #439], uncle: Kaiser Johannes Tsimiskes in Byzanz [Ref: ES I #3]
  SOURCE NOTES:
  date: [Ref: Brook p7, Moriarty p87, Weis AR #147] 15.IX 991 [Ref: ES I #3] 991
  [Ref: CMH p424, Wagner #43, Watney #355, Watney #439][MARSHALL.FTW]
  
  SOURCE NOTES:
  Brook, Lindsay L, The Byzantine Ancestry of HRH Prince Charles, Prince of
  Wales, The Genealogist (APSG), vol 1 no 2 (1981), p3-51.  Nypl APA-82-1000 v1.
  
  Moriarty, George Andrews, Plantagenet Ancestry of King Edward III And Queen
  Philippa.  Salt Lake: Mormon Pioneer Genealogical Society, 1985.  LDS
  Film#0441438.  nypl#ARF-86-2555.
  
  Previte-Orton, C. W., The Shorter Cambridge Medieval History, Cambridge:
  University Press, 1952.  Chatham 940.1PRE.
  
  Schwennicke, Detlev, ed., Euroopaische Stammtafeln: Stammtafeln zur Geschichte
  der europaischen Staaten, New Series, Marburg: J.A. Stargardt, 1978-.
  
  Wagner, Anthony, Pedigree and Progress, Essays in the Genealogical
  Interpretation of History, London, Philmore, 1975.  Rutgers Alex CS4.W33.
  
  Watney, Vernon James, The Wallop Family and their Ancestry, Oxford:John
  Johnson, 1928.  LDS Film#1696491 items 6-9.
  
  Weis, Frederick Lewis, Ancestral Roots of Sixty Colonists, 6th Edition,
  Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co, 1988.
  RESEARCH NOTES:
  For many years the parentage of Empress Theopana, wife of the Emperor Otto II
  has been debated by German scholars.  She has always been considered to have
  been the daughter of the Basilius Romanus II, of the Macedonian House,
  descended from the Basileus Basil, and his wife Theophana, daughter of a
  Larconian Inn Keeper, and the repetition of the name would suggest this, but
  objections exist. [Ref: Moriarty p88]
  
  Maltman, in a thesis at the Univercity of Gothen argues in 1878 that she was
  not a daughter of the Basileus Romanus. [Ref: Moriarty p88]
  
  Historian Ranke considered her to have been a daughter of the Basileus, but
  this was not his period. [Ref: Moriarty p88]
  
  Prof Gjasbrecht, a great medievalist, considered that she was not the daughter
  of Romanius; in accord with him are Hertzberg (Gescht. der Byzantiner), von
  Ottenthal (Register Otto I) and Mystakidis (Byz Deutsche Baziehungen). [Ref:
  Moriarty p88]
  
  Traditional view held by Von Ranke, Finley (History of Greece), Dunmber
  (Jahrbuch Otto I), Hirsch (Byz.), Schumberger (Nicophor Phocas), Detmer (Biss
  on Otto II), Muntz (Les Astistes Byzantiner), Labarte (Hist. der Arts
  industrials au morgen age aud), K Uhling (Uber die Herkunft der Theophano).
  [Ref: Moriarty p88]
  
  Prince von Isenburg in Stamtafeln (1836/7) calls her the "pretended daughter
  of Romanus"; the 1953 edition rejects the Romanus view and accepts that put
  forth by the Swiss scholar Benrath in his monograph "Wer war die Kaiserin
  Theophano (1939)" that she belonged to the Patrician family of Sleros. [Ref:
  Moriarty p88]
  
  Prof. Winkhaus also accepts family of Skleros in his Ahnen zu Karl dem Grossen
  and Widierkind (1950), but in his additions and corrections he reverts to the
  Romanus view [Ref: Moriarty p88]
  
  Facts are as follows:  When Otto I had restored the Western EMpire he wished
  to allay his family with that of the Eastern Ceasars and sent Luitpraud Bishop
  of Oremina on an Embassy to Constantinople to ask for the hand of a Byzantine
  Princess for his son Otto.  The Byzantines bitterly resented the Western
  Empire and the Basilius Nikophonos Phocas refused the request.  However, after
  the murder of Phocas in Dec 964, the new Emperor John Tzimicer, who wished to
  protect the Byzantine possessions in Southern Italy, agreed to Otto's request
  but the question is whether, as was quite in keeping with Byzantine diplomacy,
  he played a trick on Otto and substituted another lady in place of the
  Princess.  Dr.  Moltman points out that nowhere in contemporary authorities is
  Theophana called a daughter of Romanus, but is styled the neice of John
  Taimices and in his list of the children of Romanius the contemporary
  Byzantine historian George Cadremus does not include a Theophano.  However, it
  was often the custom of Byzantine writers to ignore any marriages with the
  Western "barbarians."  However, his failure to name Theophana is evidence,
  although not conclusive, that Romanus had no such daughter.  It may be
  observed that Cadremus names Anna daughter of Romanis who married a barbarian
  Wladimir of Kiev.  The chronicle of Bishop Thirmar, who was a Saxon Bishop
  living shortly after the marriage gives important evidence.  As a Saxon Bishop
  he must have been acquainted with the ruling Saxon family.  He says that, when
  Theophana arrived in Italy to be married to the young Otto, that "there were
  some who sought to prevent the Emperor from going on with the proposed
  marriage and who advised him to send her back.  The Emperor, however, did not
  listen to them but married her to his son amid the laughter of all the Italian
  and German magnates." [Ref: Moriarty p88]
  
  While her identity will probably never be established, I incline towards the
  arguments put forward by Alexander A Vasiliev, "Hugh Capet of France and
  Byzantium", Dumbarton Oaks Papers 6:229-51 (951) as supported by Prince
  Toumanoff.  See Cyril Toumanoff, Manuel de genealogie et de chronologie pour
  l'histoire de la Cascasie chretienne (Rome, 1976) pp344-46 and table 72b.  In
  a letter to [Lindsay Brook] dated 27 June 1972 he writes :at the time of her
  marriage, she (Theophano) was indeed the reigning Emperor (John Tzimisces)'s
  niece (by marriage) and therefore was naturally referred to as such; which
  does not preclude her being an earlier Emperor (Romanus II)'s daughter.  The
  only serious argument, from affinity, is vitiated by the fact that Zoe did
  ultimately marry her secondcousin (once removed) Romanus III.  Vasilev has
  shown that Romanus II had another child, who may very well have been Theophano
  [Ref: Brook p38#15]
  
  more complete text of similar letter from Prince Tourmanoff to Anthony Wagner,
  dated Nov 5 1972, given in [Ref: Wagner p258]
  SOURCE NOTES:
  date: [Ref: ES I #3] 956/60 [Ref: Moriarty p87] about 956-960 [Ref: Weis AR
  #147] abt 956-58 [Ref: Brook p7], parents: [Ref: CMH p256] Constantine Skleros
  & Sophia Phokas [Ref: Moriarty p89] Romanus II & Theophana [Ref: Brook p6,
  Watney #355] dotted line to Romanus II Eastern Emperor & Theophano   [Ref:
  Wagner #43], father: [Ref: CMH p424] (Konstantin) [Ref: ES I #3] Romanus II
  [Ref: Watney #439], uncle: Kaiser Johannes Tsimiskes in Byzanz [Ref: ES I #3]
  SOURCE NOTES:
  date: [Ref: Brook p7, Moriarty p87, Weis AR #147] 15.IX 991 [Ref: ES I #3] 991
  [Ref: CMH p424, Wagner #43, Watney #355, Watney #439]

Details of Theophana's family with Otto II

Details of Theophana's family with Otto II Holy Roman Emperor