Constantine VI & Maria of Amnia: The Byzantine Emperor Who Forced His Wife Into a Convent
He wanted a new wife. The Church called it adultery. He did it anyway.
Key Facts
What Happened
Constantine VI became Byzantine Emperor as a child and was married to Maria of Amnia in 788 through an imperial bride-show — a formal process where eligible women from across the empire were presented for the emperor's selection. Maria bore Constantine two daughters but failed to produce the all-important male heir. By the 790s, Constantine had fallen for a court lady named Theodote, and he began looking for a way out of his marriage.
In January 795, Constantine divorced Maria and had her and their two daughters sent to a convent on the island of Prinkipo in the Sea of Marmara. The official grounds were Maria's failure to produce a male heir, though everyone understood the real reason was Theodote. Maria was compelled to take monastic vows, which under Byzantine canon law formally dissolved the marriage. It was a legal fiction — forced monasticism as a divorce mechanism.
The remarriage in September 795 triggered a major religious crisis. Patriarch Tarasios of Constantinople refused to officiate, considering the union adulterous since there were no canonical grounds for dissolving the first marriage. A palace priest named Joseph performed the ceremony instead. This sparked what became known as the 'Moechian Controversy' (from the Greek moichos, meaning adulterer), which divided the Byzantine Church for decades. Monks and clergy who opposed the remarriage were persecuted.
The controversy outlasted Constantine himself. He was overthrown by his own mother, Empress Irene, in 797 — she had him blinded and imprisoned. Maria remained a nun until her death around 823. The Moechian Controversy was not fully resolved until 809. The case established an important precedent: even emperors could not simply override religious marriage law without consequence, a principle that would echo through centuries of church-state conflicts over divorce.
Legal Breakdown: When religious and civil authority clash over divorce rights
Forced Monasticism as Divorce Mechanism
Byzantine law allowed divorce if one spouse took religious vows — but the vows were supposed to be voluntary. Constantine weaponized this loophole by forcing Maria into a convent. This parallels modern concerns about coerced consent in divorce settlements, where one spouse may be pressured into accepting unfavorable terms through intimidation, isolation, or economic control.
Church vs. State in Marriage Law
The Moechian Controversy established that even heads of state could not unilaterally override religious marriage law. This tension between civil and religious authority over marriage persists today in many countries where religious divorce (like a Jewish get or Catholic annulment) remains separate from civil divorce proceedings.
Children's Rights in Divorce
Constantine's daughters were sent to the convent along with their mother — effectively punishing children for their parents' divorce. Modern family law prioritizes the best interests of children in custody decisions, recognizing that children should not be weapons or collateral damage in their parents' separation.
What This Means for Your Divorce
- →Never sign divorce documents or agreements under coercion — they can be challenged in court
- →If your divorce involves religious considerations, understand the difference between civil and religious divorce
- →Children's welfare should always be the priority in divorce proceedings
- →Even powerful people face consequences when they abuse the legal system
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This article is based on publicly available court records, news reports, and legal analysis. It is provided for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is created by reading this content.
Divorce laws vary by jurisdiction. Always consult a licensed attorney in your area before making legal decisions.