„Τῇ καλλίστῃ”

To the Fairest One. The Ceremony for Electing an Imperial Wife at the Byzantine Court (788–882)

Abstract

Beauty pageants were used as a ceremonial mechanism during the Byzantine Empire to select the emperor’s bride. This practice aimed to maintain the mystique surrounding Constantinople’s rulers and prevent local elites from gaining undue influence. These contests were exclusively held for the emperor’s firstborn sons during their initial marriages, and they aimed to identify the most beautiful and virtuous women to become empresses, adding magnificence to royal weddings. Primary Byzantine sources indicate that these contests took place between 788 and 882, with the first one officially held by Irene for her son Constantine VI. The criteria used to determine the winner were based on a combination of factors: age, appearance, demeanour, ideal facial features, graceful movements and gait, and modest posture. The Roman emperor could only be matched by a woman possessing the corresponding qualifications and, above all, the most appreciated virtue of the time – beauty. Only the most beautiful woman had the privilege of standing beside the emperor. The two symbols used to seal the bride’s choice were the golden apple and the golden ring. The Byzantine bridal pageants exerted their enchanting influence on the subjects of the empire during and after their existence. Even the ecclesiastical world was captivated by their glamour, and the most intriguing information about them can be found in the saints’ chronicles. This study aims to explore the portrayal of these bride shows in primary Byzantine sources and other contemporary scholars. Furthermore, it examines the impact of this custom on politics and the reasons behind its eventual extinction.