Eileen Stephenson - Imperial Passions: The Porta Aurea

Copyright 2017 by Eileen Stephenson

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Blachernae Books

Rockville, MD

www.eileenstephenson.com

Publishers Note: Imperial PassionsThe Porta Aurea is a work of historical fiction. Apart from the well-known actual people, events, and locales figuring in the narrative, all names, characters, places, and incidents are a product of the authors imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, or to businesses, companies, events, institutions, or locales is completely coincidental.

Constantinople image by Byzantium 1200, cover design by Jennifer Quinlan

Imperial PassionsThe Porta Aurea / Eileen Stephenson, 1st Edition

Print:

ISBN: 978-0-9996907-0-3

ISBN-10: 0-9996907-0-1

E-book:

ISBN: 978-0-9996907-1-0

ISBN-10: 0-9996907-1-X

Copyright 2017 Blachernae Books. All Rights Reservered.

To Melissa, Suzanne, and Kathleen

Note

The capital city of the Eastern Roman Empire, commonly called the Byzantine Empire, was Constantinople. However, the people of that city seem to have rarely called it that. Writers from this period called it Byzantion, Byzantium, the City of Byzas, the Queen of Cities, or just the city, as if there was not other place worthy of that title. This novel uses all of these names for that great city.

Main Characters

Asterisked* names indicate that no record of the individuals actual name has survived.

At the time this story takes place, the use of surnames is inconsistent. Not everyone had a surname, and of those who did, not all of them took their fathers name. For example, Anna Dalassenas father, Alexios, only had the nickname of Charon and no recorded surname, while Anna took her grandfathers surname.

Italicized names indicate a character created for this story.

Dalassenus Family

Adrian Dalassenusretired general

Theodora* DalassenaAdrians wife

Anna DalassenaAdrian & Theodoras granddaughter

Helena* DalassenaAnnas mother; deceased when story opens

Alexios CharonAnnas father; deceased when story opens

Simeon DalassenusAdrian & Theodoras son; master of the Scriptorium at the St. John Stoudion Monastery

Constantine DalassenusAdrians oldest brother, Annas Uncle Costas

Xene* DalassenaUncle Costas daughter, married to Constantine Ducas

Damien DalassenusUncle Costas son

Eugenie* Diogenesgranddaughter of Adrian and Constantine Dalassenus oldest sister

Romanus DiogenesEugenies son

Ducas Family

Constantine Ducashusband of Xene Dalassena

John DucasConstantines younger brother

Irene PegonitissaJohn wife

Comnenus Family

Manuel Comnenusgeneral under Basil II; deceased when story opens

Isaac Comnenuseldest surviving son of Manuel

Catherine of BulgariaIsaacs wife and the daughter of Tsar Ivan Vladislav of Bulgaria Manuel Comnenusson of Isaac and Catherine

Marie Comnenadaughter of Isaac and Catherine

John Comnenusyoungest child of Manuel

Eudokia Donya* Comnenasister to Isaac and John

Michael Dokeianosgeneral and husband to Donya Comnena

Theodore, George*, Helena and Anastasia Dokeianoschildren of Donya and Michael

Rulers of the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire

Basil IIemperor for almost 50 years until his death in December 1025

Constantine VIIIBasils dissolute younger brother; deceased in 1028

ZoeEldest surviving daughter of Constantine VIII; empress upon his death

Romanus III ArgyrosZoes first husband; deceased/murdered before story opens

Michael IVZoes second husband

John the Orphanotrophosa eunuch and eldest brother of Michael IV; power behind the throne

Michael VMichael IVs nephew and adopted son of Zoe and Michael IV

Constantine IX MonomachosZoes third husband

La SklerainaMonomachos mistress

TheodoraZoes younger sister and ruling empress following the death of Constantine IX Monomachos

Michael VI Bringasbureaucrat named emperor by Empress Theodora on her deathbed

Other Characters

Eudokia Makrembolitissafriend of Anna Dalassena

Michael KeroulariosEudokia Makrembolitissas uncle; eventually named patriarch

Michael Pselluscourt functionary and historian

Katakalon Kekaumenosrenowned general

George Maniakesrenowned general

Gagikabdicated king of Armenia, later in service to empire

Nicephoros Bryenniosrenowned general

Nicephoros Botaneiatesrenowned general

Leo Tornikiosgeneral and nephew of Constantine IX Monomachos

Alusian and Aronbrothers of Catherine of Bulgaria, wife of Isaac Comnenus

Anna* Alusianadaughter of Alusian

Michael Maurexa young sailor, later to become droungarios/admiral in Byzantine navy

Maria Kourtikiosa physician

Imperial Passions

Imperial is the mind that rules over passions.

Theodosios of Dyrrachion (ca. 1000)

Sailors have told me of the two currents that run through the Bosphorus. One is the surface current of murky blue water; the other is the deeper, hidden river that can drag a ship in the opposite direction, sometimes into the deep. My life has been like that of a ship sailing that treacherous wayliving the quiet life of a Roman woman, and yet with invisible streams pulling me into an altogether different place. There were sharp changes in direction when I could not see what lay ahead and was too anxious to remember what was behind. But those years are past now, and I will soon approach the safe harbor, where those I have loved will be waiting, and so I put down my story that it might be preserved and recalled.

CHAPTER ONE

Byzantium

Summer 1039

He slapped her cheek like a whip hitting the back of a stubborn donkey that stifling summer day.

Dont interrupt me, Constantine Ducas said, his lip curled and turned back to his brother, John, as though slapping his own wife was of no consequence.

Xene had been standing beside her husband, asking him what hed like her to bring on her next visit, when his arm rose to strike her with no warning. A red handprint marked my cousins cheek as she slumped to the floor, her brown hair flying loose.

I slipped from behind my grandmother to help Xene struggle up, as my Uncle Costas leapt to defend his daughter.

What in the name of heaven are you doing? he barked at Ducas. She did nothing to deserve that. Xenes thin body trembled in my arms. She reached out a shaking hand for a stool as tears ran down her flushed cheeks.

That stupid, barren cow you saddled me with? said Ducas, his handsome face contorted, Shes annoyed me once too often. She knows well enough what I need.

My uncles fists rose to defend his daughter, his face ruddy with anger. What