General Notes

Pulcheria Roman empress, regent for her younger brother TheodosiusII(Eastern Roman emperor 4 08-450) from 414 to about 416, and aninfluentialfigure in his reign for many years thereafte r.  Arcadius(reigned383-408) and his wife, Eudoxia. Pulcheria assumed the regencyupon herap pointment as Augusta (empress) on July 4, 414, and the courtshe ruledwas characterized by ex treme piety and chastity. In 421 shearranged themarriage of Theodosius with Athenais, who as sumed the nameEudocia. Butthe two women quarreled about 440, and Eudocia in 443withdrewperm anently to Jerusalem. the grand chamberlain Chrysaphius thenacquiredthe dominant influence o ver Theodosius. When this adviser fellfrom powershortly before Theodosius' death (inJuly 450 ), Pulcheria againcame intoprominence. She selected Marcian as Theodosius' successor andagr eed tobecome his nominal wife in order to preserve the Theodosiandynasty. Oct.25, 451, she a ttended the Council of Chalcedon andwasloudly acclaimed bythe bishops assembled there. She b uiltseveralchurches in Constantinopleand left all her possessionsto the poor.


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