Bohemia resumed its earlier alliance with the Lutici, which caused in 990 a war with Mieszko, who was supported by Empress Theophanu.

Theophanu ( 960 – June 15, 991 ) (, Theophano Skleraina ), also spelled Theophania, Theophana or Theophano, was born in Constantinople, and was the wife of Otto II, Holy Roman Emperor.

Theophanu was nevertheless of distinguished noble heritage: recent research has established her as the daughter of Sophia Phokaina, Tzimiskes ' cousin and niece of Nikephoros II, and of Tzimiskes ' brother-in-law ( from his first marriage ) Constantine Skleros.

Theophanu and Otto were married by Pope John XIII on April 14, 972 at Saint Peter's and she was crowned empress the same day in Rome.

A member of the Ottonian dynasty, Otto III was the only son of Emperor Otto II and Theophanu.

When his rebellion failed to gain the support of Germany's aristocracy, Henry II was forced to abandon his claims to the throne and to allow Otto III's mother Theophanu, who would serve as regent until 991.

The only son of Emperor Otto II and his wife Theophanu, Otto III was the youngest of the couple's four children.

When the assembly was concluded, Otto III and his mother Theophanu travelled across the Alps in order for Otto III to receive his coronation at Aachen, the traditional site for the coronation of the German kings.

With a minor on the throne, the Empire was thrown into confusion, with Otto III's mother Theophanu assuming the role of regent for her young son.

Following a failed rebellion to claim the throne from himself, Henry II was forced to pass the regency to Otto III's mother Theophanu.

Theophanu also retained Otto II's court chaplains, in particular Count Bernward of Hildesheim and Archbishop Willigis, who, as the Archbishop of Mainz, was ex officio the secular Archchancellor of Germany.

Though Theophanu was Otto III's regent, Willigis was given considerable leeway in administering the kingdom.

The conflict escalated until it was brought before the royal court of Otto III and Theophanu.

With Otto III was still a child and his regent, his mother the Empress Theophanu, absent from Italy, Crescentius II took the title of Patricius Romanorum ( Patrician of the Romans ) and became the effective ruler of the city, though he did not act entirely independent of the imperial authority, presenting himself as a lieutenant of the Emperor.

When the Empress Theophanu was in Rome between 989 and 991, Crescentius II nominally subordinated himself to her, though maintained his position as ruler of the city.

The choice of Emperor John I Tzimisces was his niece Theophanu, who was the soldier-emperor's niece by marriage.

Of Greek descent, John was the personal chaplain of Otto II's wife Theophanu, accompanying her when she traveled from Constantinople to marry Otto II.

On April 14, 972, Otto II married Theophanu, a Byzantine princess of the Phokas family who was the cousin of reigning Byzatine Emperor John I Tzimiskes.

The marriage was expressly consented by the Dowager Empress Theophanu, probably to rally the powerful family of Ezzo to the throne.

At the time he mounted the papal chair, Crescentius II was Patrician of Rome, significantly hampering the pope's influence, but the presence of the Empress Theophanu, regent for her son, Holy Roman Emperor Otto III in Rome from 989 to 991 restrained Crescentius ' ambition.

At the time the region was a territory of the Byzantine Empire and John was the chaplain of Theophanu, the Empress consort of Emperor Otto II ( 973 – 983 ), who had come from Constantinople.

In the occasion Otto the Great introduced his new daughter-in-law Theophanu, a Byzantine princess whose marriage to Otto II brought hope for recognition and continued peace between the rulers of the Eastern and Western empires.

His father arranged for Otto II to marry the Byzantine Princesses Theophanu, who would be his wife until his death.

His election secured, Otto III and his mother, the Empress Theophanu, traveled north across the Alps heading for Aachen, the traditional coronation site for the Ottonians, in order for Otto III to be official crown as king.

Emperor Otto II, father of Otto III, died at age 28 in 983 and his widow Theophanu and grandmother reigned for the child-king Otto III.

During the regency rule of his widow, the Byzantine princess Theophanu, the empire abandoned her husband's imperialistic policy and devoted herself entirely to furthering an alliance between Church and Empire.

Theophanu accompanied her husband on all his journeys, and issued diplomas in her own name as Empress.

With the cooperation of Willigis, Archbishop of Mainz, and Hildebald, Bishop of Worms, Theophanu reigned until her death in 991.

Otto III's mother Theophanu would serve as his regent from 984 until her death in 991.

Following Otto II's death in 983, Theophanu, as her son Otto III's regent, would name John as Otto III's tutor.

She, her sister Theophanu, Abbess of Essen, and her brother, Hermann II, Archbishop of Köln, transferred the Abbey of Brauweiler to the Archdiocese of Köln.

# Theophanu ( b. 11 January 1278 / 10 January 1279 – d. 1296 ), renamed Teodora upon her betrothal ; she died in route to married Theodore, son of John I Doukas, Lord of Thessaly.

The first documentary mention is found in a document from Emperor Otto II, in which he bequeathed the royal court and the settlement to his wife Theophanu.

The arrival of a minor on the Imperial saw the Empire thrown into confusion, allowing Otto III's mother, the Byzantine Princess Theophanu, to reign as his regent.

After a year in Italy, the royal court returned to Germany, where Theophanu would die in Nijmegen on June 15, 991, at the age of 31.

Having married Matilda of Germany ( died 1025 ), a daughter of Emperor Otto II and Theophanu, Ezzo became prominent during the reign of his brother-in-law, Emperor Otto III.

Still, Otto formed marital ties with the east, when he married the Byzantine princess Theophanu.

In 991 he arrived at a gathering in Quedlinburg, where he participated in the customary exchange of gifts with Otto III and Empress Theophanu.

Theophanu duly arrived in grand style in 972, with a magnificent escort and bearing great treasure.

Theophanu is identified in the marriage contract as the neptis ( niece or granddaughter ) of Emperor John I Tzimiskes.

Albert of Metz describes Theophanu as being an unpleasant and talkative woman.

" The theologian Peter Damian even asserts that Theophanu had a love affair with John Philagathos, a Greek monk who briefly reigned as Antipope John XVI.

That Christmas Theophanu had their three-year-old son crowned as Otto III, with herself ruling as Empress Regent on his behalf.

* Hans K. Schulze, Die Heiratsurkunde der Kaiserin Theophanu, Hannover 2007 ISBN 978-3-7752-6124-1

* Women's Biography: Theophanu, empress, contains several letters received by Theophanu.

* Theophanu, empress, mother of Otto III ( b. 956 )

* Otto II marries Theophanu, Byzantine princess.