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Theodora of Khazaria
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Theodora of Khazaria
Theodora of Khazaria (Greek: Θεοδώρα τῶν Χαζάρων, romanized: Theodṓra thou Khazária) was Byzantine empress as the second wife of Justinian II. She was a sister of Busir, khagan of the Khazars.
Justinian II had first succeeded to the throne in 685. In 695, Justinian was deposed by a coup d'état under strategos Leontius. Justinian's nose was slit and he was exiled to Cherson in Crimea.
Justinian stayed in Cherson for about seven years with no apparent incident. However rumors that the deposed emperor was plotting his restoration came to the attention of the city authorities c. 702. They decided to arrest and send him to Constantinople, surrendering his fate to Tiberius III. Justinian instead escaped Cherson and sought refuge in the court of Busir.
Busir welcomed the exile and formed a familial relation to Justinian by marrying him to his sister, whose original name is unknown, in 703. Theodora was her baptismal name and marks her conversion to Chalcedonian Christianity. The name was probably chosen to evoke memories of Theodora, wife of Justinian I. Busir provided the couple with funds and a house in Phanagoria.
Tiberius eventually took notice of the new marital alliance and bribed Busir in exchange for the head of Justinian. According to the chronicle of Theophanes the Confessor, c. 704 Busir dispatched two agents to murder his brother-in-law, Balgitzin and Papatzys. Theodora became aware of their mission and warned her husband in advance, enabling him to strangle both men and sail in a fishing boat back to Cherson.
Theodora was left behind in the custody of her brother. Their only known son Tiberius is considered to have been born at some point during the separation of his parents, indicating Theodora was pregnant prior to the escape.
Leading an army of 15,000 horsemen provided by his new ally Tervel of Bulgaria, Justinian entered Constantinople in 705 and regained the throne. This made Theodora the new empress consort, but she was still in the custody of her brother.
According to the chronicle of Theophanes and the Chronographikon syntomon of Ecumenical Patriarch Nikephoros I of Constantinople, Justinian was planning to reclaim his wife by force. In 705/706, a detachment of the Imperial navy, sent to the Sea of Azov to escort Theodora back, was sunk by a storm before reaching its destination.
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Theodora of Khazaria
Theodora of Khazaria (Greek: Θεοδώρα τῶν Χαζάρων, romanized: Theodṓra thou Khazária) was Byzantine empress as the second wife of Justinian II. She was a sister of Busir, khagan of the Khazars.
Justinian II had first succeeded to the throne in 685. In 695, Justinian was deposed by a coup d'état under strategos Leontius. Justinian's nose was slit and he was exiled to Cherson in Crimea.
Justinian stayed in Cherson for about seven years with no apparent incident. However rumors that the deposed emperor was plotting his restoration came to the attention of the city authorities c. 702. They decided to arrest and send him to Constantinople, surrendering his fate to Tiberius III. Justinian instead escaped Cherson and sought refuge in the court of Busir.
Busir welcomed the exile and formed a familial relation to Justinian by marrying him to his sister, whose original name is unknown, in 703. Theodora was her baptismal name and marks her conversion to Chalcedonian Christianity. The name was probably chosen to evoke memories of Theodora, wife of Justinian I. Busir provided the couple with funds and a house in Phanagoria.
Tiberius eventually took notice of the new marital alliance and bribed Busir in exchange for the head of Justinian. According to the chronicle of Theophanes the Confessor, c. 704 Busir dispatched two agents to murder his brother-in-law, Balgitzin and Papatzys. Theodora became aware of their mission and warned her husband in advance, enabling him to strangle both men and sail in a fishing boat back to Cherson.
Theodora was left behind in the custody of her brother. Their only known son Tiberius is considered to have been born at some point during the separation of his parents, indicating Theodora was pregnant prior to the escape.
Leading an army of 15,000 horsemen provided by his new ally Tervel of Bulgaria, Justinian entered Constantinople in 705 and regained the throne. This made Theodora the new empress consort, but she was still in the custody of her brother.
According to the chronicle of Theophanes and the Chronographikon syntomon of Ecumenical Patriarch Nikephoros I of Constantinople, Justinian was planning to reclaim his wife by force. In 705/706, a detachment of the Imperial navy, sent to the Sea of Azov to escort Theodora back, was sunk by a storm before reaching its destination.