ace and the clergy. She endeavored to bring
up her son in such a way that he should continue to be subservient to
her, and as he approached the age at which he should assume the reins of
government, Irene showed no disposition to yield up her power.

Even when Constantine became of age, he was excluded from state affairs.
He had been betrothed to Rotrud, daughter of Charlemagne; but Irene, for
the sake of her own power, had broken off the match and compelled him to
marry one of her favorites, who was distasteful to him. The maternal
yoke, which he had so patiently borne, finally became grievous, and
Constantine listened eagerly to the favorites of his own age who urged
him to assert his rights. He was finally persuaded to do so, and
succeeded in seizing the helm of state. His mother vigorously resisted,
but was overcome and compelled to go into seclusion for a time; but
Constantine at length pardoned her and restored her former dignity.
Irene, however, had by no means relinquished her ambition for sole
power, and availed herself of every opportunity to discredit the prince
and enhance her own popularity.

Constantine became enamored of one of his mother's maids of honor,
Theodota. With the insidious purpose of making him odious to the clergy,
who discountenanced divorce and second marriage, Irene encouraged him to
put away his wife, Maria, and marry Theodota. The patriarch Tarasius, a
creature of the empress-mother, acquiesced in the emperor's wishes, and,
though he would not perform the ceremony himself, he ordered one of his
subordinates to celebrate the unpopular bans. The affair created great
scandal among the monks and was injurious to the prestige of the
emperor.

A powerful conspiracy was secretly organized for the restoration of the
empress. At length the emperor, suspecting his danger, escaped from
Constantinople with the purpose of arousing the provinces and the armies
so that he might return to the city with sufficient force to overwhelm
the conspirators and establish beyond question his power. By this flight
the empress was left in danger, because of the possible exposure of the
plot and the indignation of the populace. She acted with her customary
shrewdness and duplicity. Among those about the emperor were some who
were involved in the conspiracy; so, while appearing to be making ready
to implore the mercy and beg the return of her son, she sent to these
men a secret communication in which she veiled the