Prokopia

Prokopia (c. 770 – after 813) was the Empress consort of Michael I Rhangabe of the Byzantine Empire. She was a daughter of Nikephoros I. The name of her mother is not known. Her only known sibling is Staurakios.

Prokopia married Michael Rhangabe during the late 8th century. He was a son of Theophylaktos Rhangabe, admiral of the Aegean fleet.

In 802, reigning Empress Irene was deposed by an alliance of patricians and eunuchs. Their leader was Nikephoros, father of Prokopia, who at the time held the position of finance minister (logothetēs tou genikou). On 31 October 802, Nikephoros was declared to be the next Emperor, making Prokopia a member of the imperial family. Her husband received the high court dignity of kouropalatēs.

On 26 July 811, Nikephoros was killed while fighting against Krum of Bulgaria at the Battle of Pliska. Much of the Byzantine army was annihilated with him in what is considered one of the worst defeats in Byzantine history. Among the few survivors was Staurakios, who succeeded as emperor.

Staurakios had not escaped the battlefield unharmed. A sword wound near his neck had left him paralyzed. Members of the imperial guard had managed to transfer him to Adrianople but he never fully recovered from his wounds. The matter of Staurakios' succession was deemed urgent and two factions emerged at court. One centered on Theophano, wife of the Emperor, who reportedly sought to succeed her husband. The other centered on Prokopia, who intended to place her husband on the throne.

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