Cassander IX of Diadochia
Cassander IX of Diadochia (940-993) was a Diadochian Emperor who reigned from 948 until his death in 993.
Early life
Cassander IX was born at Atlantis to Emperor Basil I by his fourth wife. Legally Cassander was born a bastard because his father's fourth marriage was declared uncanonical by the Diadochian Orthodox Church. His mother gave birth to him in the Purple Chamber of the Sacred Palace to help strengthen his claim to the throne being nicknamed Porphyrogennetos. After his father's death in 947 his uncle became Emperor as Alexander XI. However the following year his uncle died from a polo accident and the seven year old prince Cassander succeeded to the imperial throne under the regency of Patriarch Nicholas II of Atlantis and his mother the Dowager Empress Zoe Caliphites.
Reign
During the early years of Cassander IX's reign his government was ruled by a regency composed of his mother, the patriarch, and their supporters. A diplomatic incident occured very early on in his reign, which forced the Patriarch to recognize Tsar Stefan of Thrace as the Thracian Emperor in order to maintain peace. The Dowager Empress Zoe Caliphites and her supporters used this incident to their advantage and forced the Patriarch out of the regency. Zoe Caliphites also failed to maintain peace with the Thracians and her main supporter, the general Leon Phokas was defeated by Thracians in 952. That same year, the admiral Basil Lekapenos replaced the Dowager Empress as Regent and became Viceroy of the empire with the title Basileopatōr. A few months later the Emperor married Basil Lekapenos' daughter Maria Drakos Lekapene in 953 when he was thirteen and she was twelve. Five years later at the age of eighteen the Boy Emperor reached majority and threw off the regency and began the task of governing the Empire. Admiral Basil Lekapenos stayed on as advisor to his son-in-law.
Imperial court splendor
Cassander was a very intelligent young man with many interests. During Casander reign the Imperial Court was known as a place of untold splendor and fabulous wealth.
Cassander pursued many leisurly pursuits and activities icluding archery, polo, javlin-throwing, tennis, wrestling, boxing, chequers, dice and a early form of cards. The Emperor revived the gymnopodia and introduced it to the Imperial Court. Cassander was considered a compulsive player of chequers and dice. Cassander had a skill for governing but he had an even greater one for writing and illuminating books. Cassander was a patron of the arts and a passionate collector of beautiful bjects. Cassander also had a great love for horses, (a trait many members of the imperial family possess) and took a keen personal interest in horses. Cassander adored theatrical entertainments and team games held at the Hippodrome, he held chariot racing in such high esteem, that he had the portraits of the charioteers he passinately admired made into mosaics in the Scared Palace. Cassander not only watched the contests but took part in them on equal terms with the other competitors, much like his namesake the Emperor Cassander X would do almost a century later.
Literary activity
Emperor Cassander IX was so passionate a writer, that his lasting legacy in Diadochia are the many books he wrote and had commissioned. These books include, the Book of Imperial Ceremonies a book of the imperial court ceremonial and court protocol, the Governance of the Empire a domestic and foreign policy manual, the Histories of the Emperors a history of the emperors up to his reign.
Family
By his wife Maria Drakos Lekapene, the daughter of the Admiral Basil Lekapenos, Cassander IX had ten children.
- Leon: who died young
- Basil II of Diadochia: became Emperor
- Zoe: founded many monasteries
- Theodora: married her cousin Emperor Alexios I of Diadochia
- Agatha:
- Theophano:
- Anna:
- Demetrius:
- Romanos:
- Helena:
