The New International Encyclopædia/Michael (emperors)

MICHAEL, mī′kĕl or mī′kā̇-ĕl. The name of nine emperors of Constantinople. Michael I. (died 845) succeeded to the throne on the death of Stauracius, in 811, conducted a war against the Bulgarians, but was a feeble monarch, who abdicated without fighting against Leo, the Armenian, a general in his service, in 813, and retiring to a monastery, passed the remainder of his life in devotional exercises.—Michael II. (died 829), surnamed the ‘Stammerer,’ was born in Upper Phrygia, of an obscure family, but was ennobled by Leo the Armenian, who, however, afterward condemned him to death on a charge of conspiring against him. His life was saved by the assassination of Leo, and Michael was crowned Emperor in 821. He was cruel and arbitrary; and his attempts to force his subjects to celebrate the Jewish Sabbath and Passover brought about a revolt on the part of his general Euphemius, who proclaimed himself Emperor. The rebellious general was slain near Syracuse, in Sicily. During Michael's reign the Saracens wrested Crete and Sicily from the Empire.—Michael III., (c.838–867), surnamed the ‘Drunkard,’ was grandson of Michael II., and succeeded his father, Theophilus in 842, his mother, Theodora, being regent until 856. In his reign the Varangians appear as foes to the Empire, and the foundation for the separation of the Eastern and Western Churches was laid by a quarrel between the Patriarch, Photius, and the Pope, Nicholas I. Michael was assassinated by Basil the Macedonian in 867.—Michael IV. , (died 1041), surnamed the ‘Paphlagonian,’ from the place of his birth, was raised to the throne by the Empress Zoë, who on account of her infatuation for him is suspected of having murdered her husband. He was successful in war against the Bulgarians in 1040, but died in 1041.—Michael V. succeeded the last named, who was his uncle. Having exiled the Empress Zoë, he was overthrown by the people in 1042, and, after having his eyes put out, was sent to a monastery.—Michael VI. succeeded the Empress Theodora in 1056, but retained the throne only a year, when he was compelled to resign in favor of Isaac Comnenus. He retired to a monastery. He was surnamed Stratioticus, and with him the Macedonian dynasty became extinct, his successor being of the family of the Comneni.—Michael VII. Ducas Parapinaces, was a son of Constantine XI. and after the regency of his mother Eudoxia he ascended the throne in 1071. Having given too much power to unworthy favorites, he was forced by an insurrection to abjure the throne in 1078, and retire to a monastery.—Michael VIII. Palæologus (1234–82) was the first of his family to ascend the Byzantine throne. He was proclaimed joint Emperor of Nicæa with John Lascaris about 1259, and soon after became sole ruler. In 1261 Constantinople, which had been held by the Latins since 1204, was captured, and Michael caused his young colleague to be blinded and dethroned. In order to retain possession of the capital, he made some pretence at an attempt to bring about a union of the Western and Eastern Churches, which, however, proved to be of short duration.—Michael IX., son of Andronicus II., was associated with his father, but died before him in 1320.