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For several other persons named Constantine Doukas, see Constantine Doukas (disambiguation).
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For the Moldavian ruler of the same name, see Constantine Ducas.
Constantine Doukas or
Ducas (
Greek: Κωνσταντίνος Δούκας,
Kōnstantinos Doukas), (c.
1074–c. 1095) was
Byzantine co-emperor from c. 1075 to 1078 and from 1081 to 1087. He was the son of Emperor
Michael VII Doukas and his
Georgian wife
Maria of Alania.
Constantine was
porphyrogennētos, i.e., born in the purple, and was associated on the throne by his father soon after his birth. He was quickly involved in imperial diplomacy, as the infant was betrothed to Olympias of Apulia, renamed Helena, the daughter of the
Norman leader
Robert Guiscard and
Sikelgaita. After his father was forced to abdicated in 1078, Constantine's mother Maria married the new Emperor
Nikephoros III Botaneiates, but failed in convincing him to recognize the imperial status and succession rights of her son. Constantine's demotion also involved the breaking off of the engagement to the daughter of Robert Guiscard, who used this as pretext to commence military action against the Byzantine Empire.
After the fall of Botaneites in 1081, Maria's intimacy (of whatever nature) with his successor
Alexios I Komnenos and the latter's policy of alliance with the
Doukas family brought about Constantine's restoration as co-emperor. His signature was appended to all official documents issued by Alexios, and he accompanied the emperor on public occasions. When
Anna Komnene, the first child of Alexios I and
Irene Doukaina was born, she was promptly betrothed to Constantine, which confirmed his positions as heir. Maria's request, a noted philosopher
Theophylaktos of Ohrid wrote a special treatise for the young prince’s education.
However, Constantine's position was undermined by his weak constitution and, more immediately, by the birth of a son (the future
John II Komnenos) to Alexios I in 1087. Although now deprived of his status as co-emperor and imperial heir, Constantine retained the emperor's favor and remained on good terms with him. Maria was forced to retire to a monastery. During Alexios' campaign against the
Serbians in 1094 Constantine dined and entertained the emperor at his own expense. Later he refused to participate in a rebellion against Alexios. Constantine apparently died in c. 1095.