Women in Purple

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In the eighth and ninth centuries, three Byzantine empresses—Irene, Euphrosyne, and Theodora—transformed history by restoring the veneration of icons, which saved Byzantium from a purely symbolic art and ensured its lasting influence. This engaging account reveals how these remarkable women skillfully exercised imperial sovereignty, often employing ruthless tactics. Gaining access to the Byzantine ruling dynasty through marriage, they continued to wield significant power as widows, governing from Constantinople and undermining rivals. They conducted diplomacy with figures like Charlemagne, Roman popes, and the Arab caliph Harun al Rashid. Rejecting the iconoclasm imposed by their male relatives, Irene and Theodora utilized their influence to restore holy images to the Eastern Church, profoundly altering history. The artistic and cultural landscape of Byzantium, Islam, and the West would have been vastly different without their contributions. Judith Herrin draws on new research to evoke the rich and complex world of Constantinople following the Arab conquest, highlighting its monuments, court rituals, and the roles of eunuchs and influential monks. Written for a general audience, this work reshapes our understanding of an empire that spanned a millennium and illuminates the relationship between women and power.