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Archiver > GEN-MEDIEVAL > 1996-04 > 0828512296


From: Stewart Baldwin <>
Subject: Re: Theophano
Date: Wed, 3 Apr 1996 06:18:16 GMT


Rafal Prinke <RAFALP%> wrote:

<snip>

>In a recent article in the German "Genealogie", vol. 22, 3/4, 1995,
>Walter Regula discards Romanos as her father (following P.E. Schramm's
>argument of "impedimentum consaguinitatis" of the first degree; "Kaiser,
>Basileos und Papst", Historische Zeitschrift 129, Muenchen 1924).
>He also does not accept Schwennicke's (ES) choice of the dukes of Taron
>of the Bagratids. He quotes: (a) G. Wolf, "Nochmals zu Frage: Wer war
>Theophano?", Byzantinische Zeitschrift, vol. 81, Muenchen 1988,
>(b) O. Kresten, "Byzantinische Epilegomena zur Frage: Wer war Theophano?",
>in: Kaiserin Theophano, vol. 2, Koeln 1991, (c) H. Benrath, Die Kaiserin
>Theophano, Muenchen 1978, as supportive of his choice, namely that
>she was a daughter of Konstantin Skleros, patrikios, and Sophia Phokaina,
>d. of Leon Phokas and niece of emperor Nikephoros II Phokas.

>The whole article is a well documented lineage of three Byzantine
>princesses back to ancient Persia (Darius I).

Although I have not seen the above article, I am extremely skeptical.
The discovery of such a descent from antiquity, if shown on careful
examination to be validly documented, would rank as an extremely
important genealogical discovery, and all attempts of which I am aware
have had _numerous_ (not just a few) weak links (thus my skepticism).
If the article claims to give a "well documented" descent (as opposed
to a conjectural descent which still needs more work) from Darius I of
Persia, then that is probably a good indication that the article
should not be taken too seriously.

Stewart Baldwin

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