1. Birth – family
Michael V was most probably born in Constantinople. His father Stephen was a caulker (kalaphates in Greek), thus the scornful surname given to him by the people of Constantinople. His mother Maria was the sister of emperor Michael IV and the all-powerful John Orphanotrophos. Since he was a member of the Paphlagonian lineage, members of which had assumed high offices in the Byzantine state during the reign of Michael IV (1034-1041), and thanks to the activity of John Orphanotrophos,1 Michael was considered by his uncles as the perfect successor to the throne in order to keep the imperial crown in the family.
2. Ascent to the throne
John Orphanotrophos, who had managed to ensure the ascent of his brother Michael IV to the throne, intended to keep the power in the family. Since it was obvious that the marriage of Michael to augusta Zoe, an offspring of the Macedonian Dynasty, was not going to give a legitimate successor to the throne, due to Michael’s old age and the complete estrangement between Michael and Zoe, the succession had to be ensured by other means. Moreover, the rapid deterioration of Michael’s health due to epilepsy made the matter more urgent, since the succession had to be ensured before a possible premature death of the emperor.
The marriage of Michael IV to Zoe had been meticulously organized by John Orphanotrophos, who knew that the Paphlagonians needed an excuse in order to assume the imperial crown: the umbrella of dynastic legitimacy which Zoe could offer as a member of the Macedonian dynasty.2 In order to legitimize a successor to the throne of Michael IV and thus keep the power in the family, John Orphanotrophos decided to use empress Zoe one more time. He chose his nephew Michael, his sister’s son, and, along with emperor Michael IV, managed to convince Zoe to adopt him some time around 1035. Future emperor Michael IV received the title of caesar, a title which ensured his succession to the imperial throne.
On 10 December 1041, Michael IV, worn out by his disease, retired to the Hagioi Anargyroi monastery and died. Three days later, empress Zoe crowned Michael V, who promised to honour her as an empress and respect her as his mother.3
Very soon after his coronation, however, Michael V decided to change tactics. First of all, he stripped his all-powerful uncle John Orphanotrophos of his power and sent him into exile. The custody of John Orphanotrophos annoyed not only young Michael, but also other members of the large family of the Paphlagonians. On the other hand, by stripping John Orphanotrophos of his power, Michael lost a powerful protector and one of the most powerful men in Constantinople. Instead of John Orphanotrophos, Michael sought the protection of his other uncle Constantine, who exercised a great influence in the process of decision making. Moreover, following the exile of John Orphanotrophos, Michael V released from prison Constantine Dalassenos, one of his uncle’s political opponents, trying to show that he disapproved of his uncle’s policy of persecutions in order to prevent possible uprisings. Among his uncle’s exiled victims were later emperor Constantine Monomachos and later patriarch Michael Keroularios.
The greatest mistake of Michael V, however, was his decision, after consulting with his uncle Constantine, to send empress Zoe into exile. Encouraged by the lack of reactions regarding the exile of John Orphanotrophos, Michael V believed that he would not encounter strong reactions in the case of Zoe’s exile. Moreover, having emphasized on winning or even buying the favour of the populace of Constantinople, he believed that the populace was devoted to him. He also organized two litanies some time around Easter of 1042 and the positive response of the citizens had convinced him that the public opinion was in favour of him.4
A few days later he sent empress Zoe to a monastery in Pringipos. In order to justify his decision, he had the eparch of the city (praefectus urbi) to accuse her publicly of conspiring against his life. He also attempted to send patriarch Alexios of Stoudios into exile on the same charges but that second decision was never implemented. The exile of empress Zoe, however, resulted in riots and an uprising in the capital, costing the young emperor his throne.
3. The uprising in Constantinople in April 1042 and the end of the reign of the Paphlagonians
On 19 April 1042, eight days after the official litany in Constantinople, which gave Michael V the impression that the people of Constantinople were devoted to him, the demoi(the Circus factions) of the city rebelled not only against the young emperor but also against the entire family of the Paphlagonians, which, thanks to the activity of John Orphanotrophos, had assumed high offices. Michael V had underestimated the devotion of the people to and had violated the dynastic ideal and now the people of Constantinople demanded the return to power of all the members of the legitimate Macedonian dynasty, not only Zoe’s but also her sister’s, Theodora, who Zoe herself had forced to become a nun and retire to Petrios monastery in 1034.5
The angry mob attacked and destroyed the property of Michael’s relatives and finally laid siege to the palace, demanding the retirement of Michael V Kalaphates and the return of Zoe and Theodora. Being under siege, Michael V and his uncle Constantine attempted to appease the angry mob by bringing Zoe back from exile. The people, however, insisted and a group of them broke into the Petrios monastery and forced Zoe’s sister, Theodora, to follow them to Hagia Sophia, where they honoured her as an empress.
The uprising kept on raging and the attempt of Michael V and his uncle Constantine to suppress it by military means was unsuccessful. Even the arrival of Katakalon Kekaumenos and his troops from Sicily did not alter the balance in favour of the emperor. On 21 April Michael V was forced to abandon the Great Palace. Along with his uncle Constantine, he escaped by ship to the western part of the city and attempted to seek refuge at the Stoudios monastery and become a monk. Nevertheless, the rage of the people of Constantinople was great due to the large number of victims during the uprising. The mob took them by force out of the main church of the Stoudios monastery, led them to Sigma and blinded them, as was the usual punishment for the usurpers of the throne.
The two sisters and members of the Macedonian dynasty, Zoe and Theodora, assumed power. Their joined reign, however, lasted only one and a half month. Zoe married for a third time. Her husband was Constantine IX Monomachos, who John Orphanotrophos and Michael IV had sent into exile to Lesvos as a close associate of Constantine Dalassenos. Following the assuming of power, Constantine IX Monomachos sent Michael V into exile to Chios.