WI: Eudokia Makrembolitissa weds Romanos Diogenes as her first husband instead of Constantine Doukas ?

[Sevarics]

As the tin says, what if Eudokia, niece of the Patriarch of Constantinople, weds Romanos Diogenes as her first husband instead of Constantine Doukas ? Romanos was a successful military leader from a well connected family and so good looking that she fell in love with him later in her life anyway so let’s push up the wedding.

I think one of the bigger possible butterflies is that if Isaac Komnenos still gets sick and abdicates, he will be pressured by the Patriarch to choose Romanos as his successor and not Constantine Doukas.

So, assuming that Romanos IV becomes Emperor in 1059 instead of 9 years later, how do you think he would handle his earlier reign ?

 

[Silver01]

well an easy buttefly would be that Constantine X first wife doesn't die so he never marries eudokia, probably around 1050, so romanos would be 20 , assuming some how they marry in 1050, in Otl by some sources the patriarch wanted to do a coup in favor of Constantine in this timeline it would be romanos, seeing as how Isaac still wanted Constantine even after he opposed him its not impossible he chooses romanos , either way Romanos IV get to the throne in 1059, for one he never earns the pure hatred of the doukas family as they never became emperor but will most likely get hated by the court as he keeps Isaac reforms.

two the rot and inactive reing of Constantine X would not occur, romanos would inherit a better empire and stronger solidus, and we know how active he was the siege of ani would either be lifted or Romanos IV would launch a campaign against the turks starting in 1064, Romanos did ok from 1068-1071 this was with a debasment of 30% and the severe undercutting the training and financial obligations to the army that Constantine X did, so imo a 1064 after years of continuing Isaac reforms would do well, quite ironicly compared to otl Romanos would likely deal with Italy first and then have his attention turn to the east in 1064.

3) it depends were it goes from here we know romanos IV was a ambitious but at the same time here he doesnt need a great victory over the turks like he wanted in 1071, as his position is not as shaky as the Otl a think what would follow would be a back forth of raids and counterraids , in the end arslan like otl would concentrate on the fatimids