Michael III of Diadochia

Michael III of Diadochia (Greek: Μιχαήλ Γʹ, Mikhaēl III; February 23, 874-December 24, 901) was the Diadochian Emperor from 876 until his deposition and subsequent assassination in 901. Michael III was only two when he came to the throne so his mother ruled as regent for some time.

Early life and regency

Michael was the youngest child of Emperor Theodosius III of Diadochia and his wife Empress Theodosia. During his long minority, the empire was ruled by regency, headed by his mother the Empress Theodosia, her uncle Theophilos, and the chief ministers Sergios and Theoktistos. The Empress who was a closet icondule, decided to depose Patriarch Theophanous II of Atlantis ( in favor of the iconophile Patriarch Meletios I of Atlantis in 877 effectivly putting an end to the second spell of Iconclasm in Diadochia.

Emperor supported by his uncles Bardas (whom he mad a Kaisar) and Petronas seized control of the government from his mother and her supporters forcing his mother and sisters to enter a monastery in 891. So great was the influence of Bardas over the young Emperor, that he was allowed to murder the minister Sergios without being punished.

Military actions

During Michael III's reign the state begin to stabilize. With this stabilization Michael III increased the army, scoring victories against the muslims on both land and sea.

In 889, a diplomatic dispute erupted between the Diadochians and the Thracians. The Emperor wanted to gain control of some areas of Thrace, and pressed his claim threatening to seize control of Philippopolis.

After a military operation lasting from 889-892 the Empeor and his uncles were successful in taking many Thracian cities, including Philippopolis, Develtus, Anchialus and Mesembria.

Bardas the Power behind the throne and the Christianisation of Odrysia

Bardas soon seized control of the regency and ruled as regent despite his nephew being of age. In 892, Emperor Michael III had the troublesome Patriarch Photios I of Atlantis dismissed in favor of Patriarch Romanos I of Atlantis

Under the guidence of the new Patriarch Romanos I, Michael sposnored the mission of Saints Stephen and Meletios to the Azar Khagan in an effort to convert them to christianity. This mision ended in failure. The two did succeeded in creating a Moravian Alphabet for the Moravaian-speaking peoples of the Empire in 897. Fearing the potential of Odrysia becoming a catholic stae, the Emperor quickly raised a host and invaded Odrysia, with his uncle Bardas imposing the conversion of the Odrysian King Boris I has one of the terms of the wars peaceful end. The Odrysian King was baptized in a elaborate ceremony, in which Emperor Michael III stood in as godfather, subsequently Boris I took the name Michael.

The Rise of Nikolas and the death of Michael

Michael III's marriage to the wealthy heiress Eudokia Dekapolitissa was childless, but the emperor did not want to repudiate his long suffering wife so he married his mistress Eudokia Sklera to his favorite the handsome chamberlain Nikolas I of Diadochia. The Emperor resolved to continue his affair with Eudokia Sklera, even bringing his sister Thekla out of a monastery to indulge the desires of his favorite.

Michael became so attached to Nikolas that he named him ‘Chamberlain of the bedchamber’, a position usually held by a eunuch.

Nikolas who often shared the Emperor's bed had great influence over him, convinced the Emperor that Kaiser Bardas was a traitor and had allowed Nikolas to murder him in 900. In early april 900 Emperor Michael III made Nikolas his heir in a effort to legitimize Eudokia Sklera new born son Basil I (who was widely believed to be the son of Michael and not Nikolas).

Michael III soon grew tired of Nikolas and looked for a newer younger pretty boy to succeed Nikolas as the Emperor's bedfellow. Nikolas jealous by the favor Michael showed to the courtier Leon, Nikolas resolved to have the emperor assassinated. On December 24, Nikolas and his conspirators made their way into the imperial bedchamber, finding Michael passed out from a drinking bout and proceeded to cut off both the Emperor's hands with a sword before thrusting another into his heart.