Martina 3454873 218050290 2008-06-08T22:50:46Z 24.192.17.167 /* Empress */ typo with missing the not {{for|the name|Martina (name)}} '''Martina''' (died after 641) was the second Empress consort of [[Heraclius]] of the [[Byzantine Empire]]. ==Family== Martina was a daughter of Maria and a certain Martinus. Her mother was a sister to [[Heraclius]]. <ref>[[Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire]], Vol. 3</ref>. Maria and Heraclius were children of [[Heraclius the Elder]] and his wife Epiphania. The name of their mother was recorded in the chronicle of [[Theophanes the Confessor]]. ==Empress== [[Eudokia (empress)|Eudokia]], first wife of Heraclius, died on [[13 August]], [[612]]. According to the ''Chronographikon syntomon'' of [[Ecumenical Patriarch Nikephoros I of Constantinople]], the cause of death was [[epilepsy]]. According to Theophanes, Martina married her maternal uncle not long after. Placing the marriage in 613 at the latest. However Nikephoros places the marriage during the wars with the [[Eurasian Avars]] which took place in the [[620s]]. The marriage was considered to fall within the [[prohibited degree of kinship]], according to the rules of [[Chalcedonian]] [[Christianity]] concerning [[incest]]. This particular case of marriage between an uncle and a niece had been declared legal since the time of the [[Codex Theodosianus]]. Thus the marriage was not approved by the people of [[Constantinople]] and the Church. Despite his disapproval and attempts to convince Heraclius to repudiate Martina, [[Patriarch Sergius I of Constantinople]] performed the ceremony himself and crowned Martina in the Augustaeum after she was proclaimed Augusta by Heraclius. Even the members of the imperial family voiced their objections, with Heraclius' brother (and Martina's uncle) Theodore continually criticising Heraclius because of this relationship. The Emperor and the Empress were, however, clearly a close couple: Martina accompanied her husband in his most difficult campaigns against the [[Sassanid Empire]]. She was also at his side at [[Antioch]] when the news was received of the serious defeat by the Arabs at the river [[Yarmuk]] in August [[636]]. They had at least ten children, of whom at least two were handicapped, which was seen as divine punishment for the [[incest]]ous marriage. Among them was Heraclius II, called [[Heracleonas]], who through his mother’s influence received the title of Augustus on [[July 4]], [[638]]. ==Regent== On his deathbed in [[641]] Heraclius left the empire to both his son from the first marriage, [[Constantine III (emperor)|Heraclius Constantine]] (as Constantine III) and [[Heraklonas]] (as Heraclius II), granting them equal rank. Martina was to be honoured as empress and mother of both of them. Heraclius died on [[11 February]], [[641]] of an [[edema]]. Nikephoros considered Heraclius' disease a devine punishment for his sinful marriage. Three days later Martina took the initiative in announcing the contents of Heraclius' [[Will (law)|will]] in a public ceremony. The authority for such a ceremony typically belonged to the succeeding Emperor, not to the Empress. Martina was attempting to establish her own authority over the two co-emperors. The ceremony took place in the [[Hippodrome of Constantinople]]. Present were members of the [[Byzantine Senate]], other dignitaries and the crowds of Constantinople. Absent were both Constantine and Heraklonas. Martina read the contents of the will and claimed the senior authority in the Empire for herself. However the crowd instead acclaimed the names of the two Emperors and not her own. Thus objecting to her assumption of imperial authority. She was forced to return to the palace in defeat. Relations of Martina and her step-son were always difficult. When Constantine III died suddenly of [[tuberculosis]] only four months later, the common belief was that the Empress poisoned him to leave Heraclonas as sole ruler. Also Martina began immediately to exile the prominent supporters of Constantine and with the help of [[Patriarch Pyrrhus I of Constantinople]], one of her primary advisors, revived the policy of [[Monotheletism]]. Her actions and the rumors of poisoning Constantine III caused the people and the Senate to turn against Martina and her son. The Armenian Valentine Arsacidus (Arshakouni) with the troops from [[Asia Minor]], marched to [[Chalcedon]] and a frightened Heracleonas named [[Constans II]], son of late Constantine III, a co-emperor. This, however, failed to ease the discontent and by the end of the month the Byzantine Senate deposed him. His nose was slit, Martina's tongue cut out and they were exiled to [[Rhodes]]. Constans II became sole emperor. ==Children== Martina and Heraclius had at least 10 children, though the names and order of these children are questions for debate: * Constantine. Named a [[Caesar (title)|Caesar]] in 615. Died young. * Fabius, who had a [[paralysis|paralyzed]] neck. Died young. * Theodosios, who was a [[deaf]]-[[mute]], married Nike, daughter of Persian general [[Shahrbaraz of Persia|Shahrbaraz]]. * [[Heracleonas]], Emperor 638 &ndash; 641. * David (Tiberios) (born on [[7 November]], [[630]]),proclaimed [[Caesar (title)|Caesar]] in 638. He was briefly proclaimed Augustus and co-emperor with Heraklonas and Constans in 641. Deposed, mutilated and exiled to [[Rhodes]]. * Marinus. A [[Caesar (title)|Caesar]]. Died after being circumscised according to [[John of Nikiu]]. * Augoustina. Proclaimed an Augusta in 638. * Anastasia and/or Martina. Proclaimed Augusta in 638. * Febronia. Of these at least two were [[handicap]]ped, which was seen as punishment for the illegality of the marriage. ==References== {{reflist}} {{start box}} {{s-roy}} {{s-bef|before=[[Eudokia (empress)|Eudokia]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[List of Byzantine Emperors|Byzantine Empress consort]]|years=c. 613&ndash;641}} {{s-aft|after=[[Gregoria]]}} {{end box}} ==External links== *[http://www.roman-emperors.org/martina.htm An article on Martina by Lynda Garland] *[http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/BYZANTIUM.htm#MartinaMHeraclius Her profile in "Medieval Lands" by Charles Cawley] [[Category:6th century births]] [[Category:7th century deaths]] [[Category:Heraclian Dynasty]] [[Category:Byzantine empresses]] [[de:Martina (Byzanz)]] [[ja:マルティナ (東ローマ皇后)]] [[sr:Мартина (Ираклијева супруга)]] [[fi:Martina]]