All About - History - Hitler Versus Stain

compound the problem, Euphamia, empress to
Justin I, was a firm upholder of this law, and, due
to religious and personal differences, was further
ill-disposed towards Theodora in particular. It
seemed as if the couple were to be thwarted, but
luck was on their side. Euphamia died c.524, and it
became clear then that resistance to the match had
been decidedly one-sided. Free now to act without
causing himself marital strife and also
under pressure from his heir, Justin
repealed the law that stood in
the way of the happy couple
and they married soon after,
uncaring of the scandal that
followed in its wake.
In 527, Justinian came
into his role of emperor,
and Theodora found herself
empress of Byzantium. If
ashamed of her past in any
way, Theodora made no effort to
hide it; friends from her old life were
made welcome at the palace, and her
illegitimate daughter – whether Justinian’s or from
a previous relationship is unclear – was free to join
her mother. Justinian likewise does not seem to
have been troubled by his wife’s past, perhaps in
part due to his own less-than-illustrious beginnings.
Despite or perhaps because of her humble start in
life, Theodora was a stickler for ceremony and show
in her role of empress. As on the stage, looks and
appearances were everything, and she would not
let anyone – high or low – forget for one moment
that she was empress. Images of Theodora show
a well-dressed woman, resplendent in gold and
purple robes and glittering jewellery, the crown that
marked her power and high position visible for all
to see. Theodora also made sure she was given due
honour and acknowledgement by visiting officials
and members of the imperial household, often, it
was alleged, making important dignitaries wait for
hours at a time before receiving them.
Theodora was not content to be a trophy wife,
and there are clear indications that she sought to
Theodora would prove
to be her husband’s
strongest supporter
better herself. She was an avid reader, choosing
to read herself rather than be read to, and was
actively involved in the governance of the empire.
She saw that those she favoured were promoted
and received positions, while actively working to
remove those who did not support her or looked
down on her. The empress did not suffer fools,
and, according to Theodora’s detractors at least,
did not hesitate to remove those who
displeased her. It was not unusual
for a Byzantine empress to have
influence both in court and even
political matters, bestowing
patronage and holding sway
with her husband. Likewise,
communicating with foreign
envoys and visiting dignitaries
was well within the remit
of the role. With Theodora,
however, came the first time
that an empress went further; not
only did she fill the conventionally
accepted place of consort, but, according
to some accounts, she was empress regnant in her
own right in all but name. It is hardly surprising
that there would be hostility towards the upstart
empress, and there were those who grumbled, both
behind closed doors and publicly, about the brazen
woman from such humble beginnings. Indeed,
Theodora’s seeming flaunting of her past and
refusal to disown her background would have been
seen as a challenge to the established order.
Unsurprisingly then, when Justinian embarked
upon a series of reforms within the city, Theodora
was not idle. The rights of women were something
that particularly concerned Theodora. In 528,
women of all classes were protected by a law
that ordered the death penalty for kidnap or rape,
whereas before lower class women and slaves were
exempt, at the mercy of anyone. In 534-535, laws
on prostitution were also tightened, and it became
illegal to force or coerce anyone into the profession.
Likewise, women were granted more rights in cases
of divorce and also where property was concerned
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